Texas Digest: 3 killed in explosion on private land used by hunters
BOGATA
3 killed in explosion on private land used by hunters
Authorities in Northeast Texas say three people are dead after a weekend explosion on private land used by hunters.
The Red River County sheriff's office said in a statement that the explosion appears to have occurred Saturday evening but authorities weren't notified until the next day after a family member was unable to reach one of those killed.
The bodies of the three people have been recovered but authorities have not released their names.
Officials have not explained what caused the blast, and no other information was immediately available Tuesday.
The explosion happened near Bogata, which is about 100 miles northeast of Dallas.
CORPUS CHRISTI
Police shoot man armed with baseball bat
Corpus Christi police officers have fatally shot a man who investigators say refused to drop a baseball bat and threatened officers responding to a domestic disturbance.
Four officers were put on paid administrative leave after Sunday night's shooting of 22-year-old Emilio Mojica.
A police statement states that officers responded to a call from a family member about a man with a bat and concerns that relatives weren't safe.
Police Chief Mike Markle said officers located the suspect in the street and four times used Tasers to try to subdue Mojica, but failed. One officer opened fire after the suspect continued to threaten police with the bat.
Mojica died at a Corpus Christi hospital.
Markle said the FBI will help investigate. Evidence will be presented to a grand jury.
SAN ANTONIO
Firefighter dies after hit by van during call
A veteran firefighter has died after being struck by a commercial vehicle while responding to a call at a San Antonio hotel.
The San Antonio Fire Department reports 49-year-old Greg Garza died Tuesday. Chief Charles Hood says the death appears to be an accident.
A department statement says firefighters were called to a Comfort Suites to assist with an electrical issue.
Hood says Garza got off a firetruck, apparently tripped or stumbled and was hit by a passing van. The driver remained at the scene.
Garza was pronounced dead at a hospital.
Mayor Ron Nirenberg offered condolences and tweeted that Garza had honorably served as a San Antonio firefighter for 17 years.
POINT COMFORT
Formosa Plastics to pay $50M for pollution
Formosa Plastics Corp. has agreed to pay $50 million to settle allegations that a company plant in Texas spilled tons of pellets into waterways near the Gulf of Mexico.
Texas RioGrande Legal Aid on Tuesday announced the agreement involving the Formosa plant in Point Comfort. A judge in Houston will consider approving the settlement, to be paid over five years into a fund supporting environmental water projects.
U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt in June ruled in favor of people who alleged the Formosa plant violated clean water laws through discharges into Lavaca Bay and Cox Creek that began in 2016.
Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, representing plaintiffs, said the consent decree means Formosa agrees to "zero discharge" of plastics and will clean existing pollution.
The Associated Press