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HOUSTON (FOX 26) - High School Fight Club
PLANO, Texas (AP) — A Dallas-area school district investigation has found that baseball players at a district high school had a "fight club" in the batting cages and the team's coaches subjected players to demeaning comments.
The Dallas Morning News obtained documents that showed complaints from players' parents led to the uncovering of the fight club, as well as reports that head coach Travis Collins and assistant coach Reagan Allen subjected players to demeaning, sometimes racist comments.
The coaches' attorney, Giana Ortiz, says they "vehemently deny" the allegations.
Squandered Chances
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) —A Texas prosecutor handling the case of "affluenza" teenager Ethan Couch says the public shouldn't feed his "ego with notoriety."
Tarrant County District Attorney Sharen Wilson said in a statement Friday that the focus shouldn't be on the 18-year-old's "squandered" chances, but rather on the fallout from his drunken-driving crash in 2013 that killed four people.
Texas Wildfire Dangers
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Experts say pleasant winter weather expected this weekend in West Texas could increase the threat for wildfires.
The Texas A and M Forest Service on Friday warned about the possibility of fires amid warmer temperatures, moderate winds and low relative humidity. The agency says affected areas include Abilene, San Angelo, Midland and Lubbock.
Fire analyst Brad Smith says heightened wildfire concerns are through Monday when strong winds are expected, in areas with abundant cured or dried grass.
The National Weather Service says temperatures could reach the 70s this weekend in the Abilene, Lubbock and Midland areas. Forecasters expect temperatures in the 80s in San Angelo.
Officials say much of the Texas Panhandle should have balmy weather this weekend but could get snow on Monday, decreasing the threat of wildfires.
Texas Top Court Sides with Cheerleaders
HOUSTON (AP) — The Texas Supreme Court has ruled in favor of high school cheerleaders who argued that their free speech was trampled by their school district when it ordered them not to display banners emblazoned with Bible verses at football games.
The court in its opinion Friday acknowledged that the Kountze (koontz) school district, northeast of Houston, later allowed the banners. But the justices determined their ruling was necessary to protect the display of religious-themed signs in the future because the district has argued it retains the right to restrict them.
A state district judge in 2013 ruled the banners were constitutionally permissible, but an appeals court later sided with the district in rejecting the cheerleaders' argument.
The case now goes back to the same appeals court for further review.
Police Taser Councilman
HOUSTON (AP) — A Houston-area city councilman who was stunned with a Taser during a confrontation with police last October says he's happy the officer who wrongly arrested him has been indicted and that attorneys are investigating if race played a role in the incident.
Prairie View City Councilman Jonathan Miller said Friday that the incident has altered his view of law enforcement.
Officer Michael Kelley was indicted last week on a misdemeanor count of official oppression after a grand jury concluded he unlawfully arrested Miller outside his apartment in Prairie View, northwest of Houston.
Jolanda Jones, one of Miller's attorneys, said questions remain on whether race prompted the arrest. Miller is black and Kelley is white.
Kelley's attorney, Roger Bridgwater, didn't immediately return a call Friday.
Amarillo Police Find Bodies in Duplex
AMARILLO, Texas (AP) — Amarillo police are investigating the deaths of a man and a woman whose bodies were found by some acquaintances when they dropped by the home.
Police said preliminary autopsy results Friday revealed the cause of death for both people was listed as undetermined. Toxicology results are expected in a few weeks.
Lieutenant Erick Bohannon says 45-year-old Tyrone Titus and 42-year-old Dana Atkins were discovered dead Thursday in the duplex they shared.
Bohannon says police are not sure how the pair died and there's no indication of a break-in at the residence. Bohannon says both deaths are being investigated as suspicious.
The lieutenant says the people who found the bodies had stopped by for a visit or possibly needed a ride.
Bohannon says a neighbor did not report hearing anything amiss.
East Texas Fiery Wreck
ZAVALLA, Texas (AP) — A fiery East Texas traffic accident involving a tanker rig hauling crude oil and a smaller truck has left both drivers dead.
The Texas Department of Public Safety says the accident happened shortly before dawn Friday on U.S. 69 just south of Zavalla.
DPS Trooper David Hendry says preliminary information indicates the tanker truck was southbound when the northbound pickup truck crossed over and hit the bigger rig head-on.
The accident led to a huge fire that burned both vehicles and shut down U.S. 69. Hendry says the fire was put out by late Friday morning. Traffic was being rerouted as crews worked to clear the wreckage from the site, about 125 miles northeast of Houston.
Ted Cruz Supporters
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) —One of the stars of the "Duck Dynasty" reality show will be joining Texas Senator Ted Cruz in his final days of campaigning before the Iowa caucuses.Phil Robertson plans to be with Cruz for stops throughout Iowa on Saturday and Sunday.
Phil Robertson's son, Willie, has endorsed Cruz's Republican rival Donald Trump.
Hollywood actor Clint Howard is backing Republican Ted Cruz for president. Howard is the younger brother of director and actor Ron Howard, known for playing Opie on "The Andy Griffith Show" and directing such blockbusters as "Apollo 13."