No. 1 – Car accident in Buda leaves 1 dead
Aug. 17, 2023 – Staff Report
A woman died and two individuals were injured after they were involved in a two-vehicle collision on FM 1626 in Buda.
At approximately 7:13 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 16, the Buda Police Department was dispatched to a major accident at the intersection of FM 1626 and Old Black Colony Road in Buda. According to BPD, two vehicles, a silver Infiniti G35 and a red Nissan Altima, had collided.
Buda Fire Department and EMS also responded to the accident where they transported a male driver to Ascension Seton Hays Hospital in Kyle.
Life-saving measures on Jordan Ashlei Herman, a 33-year-old Buda resident, were attempted at the scene. Herman was then transported to Ascension Seton Hays, where she was pronounced deceased at approximately 7:50 p.m. by Justice of the Peace Pct. 2 Beth Smith.
Herman was a coach at AAGI Gymnastics a beloved member in the community. She leaves behind her 2-year-old daughter, Lacy, who sustained minimal injuries and was transported to Dell Children’s Medical Center in Austin.
Herman’s family has created a GoFundMe to help with medical costs, funeral services and future expenses for their granddaughter, Lacy.
Residents can visit www.bit.ly/3KPGOCn to donate to the family.
Revisit the Story at: https://www.haysfreepress.com/2023/08/17/car-accident-buda-leaves-one-dead/
No. 2 – District Clerk petitions for removal of DA
Sept. 13, 2023 – Staff Report
Hays County District Clerk Avrey Anderson Sr.
SAN MARCOS – Hays County District Clerk Avrey Anderson Sr. filed a petition to remove Hays County District Attorney Kelly Higgins from office, pursuant to Chapter 87 of the Local Government Code, on Tuesday, Sept. 12.
“Under Texas law, a Texas criminal district attorney or district attorney is responsible for representing the state in all criminal cases in the district courts of his/her district and appeals therefrom,” the Petition to Remove Hays County Criminal District Attorney from Office and Jury Demand stated, citing House Bill 17 — legislation passed by the state, which would allow the courts to remove district attorney for misconduct if they choose not to pursue certain types of crimes. H.B. 17 went into effect on Sept. 1.
The petition alleged that Higgins has implemented and executed a policy or policies refusing to prosecute a class or type of criminal offense under state law, including the following:
• “Kelly Higgins has made a public declaration that he will not prosecute simple drug possession offenses and that he would divert resources in the prosecution thereof.”
• “Kelly Higgins has made a public declaration that he will not prosecute simple cannabis possession offenses.”
• “Kelly Higgins has made a public declaration that he will not prosecute illegal procedures committed by a licensed physician in the case that they are illegally treating transgenders.”
• “Kelly Higgins has made a public declaration that he will not prosecute illegal procedures committed by a licensed physician in the case that they are performing unlawful abortions (technically murder) under the law.”
The petition also stated that an excessive amount of felony possession of cannabis, methamphetamine and cocaine cases are being declined for random and nonspecific reasons.
Hays County District Attorney Kelly Higgins
“His conduct demonstrates not only an intentional corrupt failure, refusal and neglect of duties imposed on the officer in his official capacity by law, but his conduct also demonstrates an adoption or enforcement of a policy of refusing to prosecute a class or type of criminal offense under state law,” the petition read. “Allowing him to continue as district attorney undermines the very laws of our state that he swore to uphold. These same laws were laws that he was charged to defend and instead, he abused his official capacity to counteract our legislature, thus, undermining our process itself.”
The petition also alleged that his “official misconduct clearly disqualifies him from continuing in his election positions” and that Higgins has “demonstrated that he should be removed from the office to which he was elected.”
However, Anderson filed a second amended document to his petition on Sept. 18 – the first amended petition was filed on Sept. 14. The changes from the original petition include the removal of two accusations:
• “Kelly Higgins has made a public declaration that he will not prosecute illegal procedures committed by a licensed physician in the case that they are illegally treating transgenders.”
•“Kelly Higgins has made a public declaration that he will not prosecute illegal procedures committed by a licensed physician in the case that they are performing unlawful abortions (technically murder) under the law.”
Then, on Thursday, Sept. 21, Higgins filed a response to the amended petition, denying all allegations outlined in the suit and demanding strict proof in accordance with state law. Subsequently, Anderson filed a Notice of Non-Suit the same day, dropping his petition to remove Higgins as DA.
Revisit the Story at: https://www.haysfreepress.com/2023/09/13/hays-county-district-clerk-files-petition-remove-district-attorney-office/
No. 3 – Young athlete adds to allegations against former NFL player
July 12, 2023 – By Brittany Kelley
Following the publication of “Alleged child molester makes sweetheart deal,” in the June 28, 2023 edition of the Hays Free Press, another family reached out to the Hays Free Press to tell their story. The article below is their experience with Thomas Geredine Sr.
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In 2019, Elektra Sanchez was focused on improving her track career when she was recommended to train with Thomas Geredine Sr.
“I was 13, turning 14 … I went to a practice with [the parent who recommended Geredine] and her daughter and I was like, ‘Okay. Yeah, he seems like a decent coach. I can train with him,’” said Elektra.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Johnson High School graduate Elektra Sanchez will attend the Naval Academy in the fall.
“The sessions were $75 an hour and he would always go over. Sometimes it’d be like a two-hour practice, but he wouldn’t charge,” said Jessica Sanchez, Elektra’s mother. “A coach isn’t going to give a free hour … Looking back now, [I realize] that’s not normal.”
Similar to Sophia Oliveraz, who was the first victim to come forward, Geredine used the modus operandi — a Latin phrase meaning mode of operating — of stretching the track girls as an excuse to get physically closer to them, explained Elektra.
“You’re going to have to let me touch your gluteus, too, because I have to touch it to stretch you,” said Geredine, followed by placing his hand on her butt, alleged Elektra.
To add to the strangeness of it all, Geredine would often “want to hang out” with Elektra and invite her to go to track meets with him “to observe.”
It wasn’t until Elektra spoke to Sophia that she realized that she was not alone in enduring Geredine’s abuse.
After the Oliveraz family reported Geredine, Elektra was invited to talk to the investigator as well about her uncomfortable situations with the coach and was prepared to testify. Despite feeling as though they did everything they could, Jessica explained that the case seemed to be going nowhere.
On Jan. 24, 2023, Geredine accepted a plea agreement for one count of injury to a child, a third-degree felony.
According to Hays County District Attorney’s Office Victim Assistance Coordinator Erin Dupalo, the terms of the plea include the following: 10 years supervised deferred adjudication on a third-degree felony injury to a child – bodily injury charge, a $1,500 fine, a $60 per month supervision fee, a psychological/drug/alcohol abuse evaluation with counseling/treatment as recommended, 350 hours of community service, no contact with the victims and sex offender treatment. He is prohibited from working in schools with minor children 10 years of age and younger.
The plea deal, specifically not having a sex offender title, was not what the Sanchez family had in mind for justice.
“It just makes me mad that it didn’t go as far as it should have, the case. He needs to have sex offender slapped across his mug shot. That’s what he is,” spit Jessica. “But what else could we do? There weren’t many options and we wanted him to have something on his record. He has a felony, so I mean, that’s good, but they weren’t going to give him a sex offender title, which is what we really wanted him to have.”
Feeling inspired to share her story because of the previous article of Geredine, Elektra would encourage others to share theirs as well.
“Don’t feel pressured to come forward, but know that coming forward, it helps other people, too. They’re more confident to come forward [if you share yours] as well,” said Elektra. “It’s okay, It’s not just [you].”
Revisit the Story at: https://www.haysfreepress.com/2023/07/12/former-johnson-hs-track-star-adds-allegations-former-nfl-player/
No. 4 – Hays CISD adopts new attendance policy
Sept. 20, 2023 – By Brittany Kelley
Parents across Hays CISD are divided over the district’s new attendance policy, which states that a student could be unenrolled if they are absent without contact for five days. The policy was adopted by the board of trustees on Aug. 28.
The policy states, “The district may initiate withdrawal of a student under the age of 19 for nonattendance under the following conditions:
1. The student has been absent for five consecutive school days; and
2. Efforts by the attendance officer and/or principal to locate the student have been unsuccessful.”
“This [policy] just allows us to take students that we’re not able to reach, who have moved away, maybe, and didn’t notify or tell us. [The policy] allows us to not lose funding to our district from the state,” said Chief Communication Officer Tim Savoy. “If [the student is] struggling with things that are happening outside of school, it does impact [their] ability to learn in school … We have a number of resources that are available and we do a lot of outreach, especially with chronic attendance situations. That’s what our attendance officers [do], that’s all they do — they work with families to try to overcome challenges — whether it be transportation or just whatever’s happening in the family life because at the end of the day, if you’re struggling with stuff at home, that’s going to be more important to you.”
The policy aims to help the district maintain its funding from the state. Although local taxes are allocated to “Hays CISD,” the district does not directly get this money. Rather, it is distributed from the state through average daily attendance (ADA).
Schools receive a large portion of funding from the state through basic allotment per student in ADA, according to the Texas Education Agency. The basic allotment is funded to provide education for each student. In fiscal year 2022, the basic allotment was $6,610 per student with 100% attendance. Each time this percentage decreases, so does the amount of funding. Districts also have weighted average daily attendance — which supplements its basic funding — for students in programs such as career and technology education (CTE), students that achieve college, career or military readiness and more, according to the Texas Taxpayers and Research Association.
Savoy explained that the reason attendance is so important is because the district has seen a decrease in its ADA since the pandemic. Before, it had an average of 96-97%, but after the pandemic, it regularly saw numbers of 91-92%. According to Hays CISD trustee Raul Vela Jr., the attendance rate for the first week of the 2023-24 school was “great,” at 96.27%.
The amount of money each student brings for attending is why parents like Shana Santistevan believe the district “very much sees [her] kids as a number.”
“At what point did we stop considering what is best for the student? It feels very much that my kids are a number right now and it doesn’t matter what their actual physical, mental or emotional needs are,” Santistevan said.
Although Savoy understands how it could seem as though the district is unconcerned with students from the outside, he argued that the state funding system is to blame.
“We don’t see the kids as a number, but the way the state funds education, they see them as a number,” said Savoy. “It’s just a way to try to make sure we’re getting all of the tax dollars back for our school district.”
At the Aug. 28 Hays CISD Board of Trustees meeting, trustee Courtney Runkle was adamant that the district’s communication needs to be drastically improved, citing that staff had been told about the new rules when they were not yet implemented, resulting in parents being misinformed — not only for this policy, but as a whole.
Despite the potential communication issues, Hays High School parent Jeff Robinson stated that he is in support of the policy, as it aids with school funding: “With any child being welcomed into school, regardless of permanent residency status, ‘ghosted’ desks are going to happen pretty frequently as parents move around the country for employment. If this is what they need to do to keep clean rolls, proper funding and an earned rating, I support it.”
Savoy stressed that the policy is important because it will allow the district to provide better resources for its students.
Revisit the Story at: https://www.haysfreepress.com/2023/09/20/hays-cisd-adopts-new-attendance-policy/
No. 5 – Man arrested for murder, evading arrest in Buda
Sept. 8, 2023 – Staff Report
BUDA – A Kyle man, identified as Omar Guadalupe Galvan-Ochoa, 27, was arrested and charged with murder and evading arrest with a vehicle in Buda.
Omar Guadalupe Galvan-Ochoa, 27, was charged with evading arrest with a vehicle, a third-degree felony, and murder, a first-degree felony,
At approximately 12:05 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 7, the Hays County Sheriff’s Office responded to 16649 IH-35 (Insta-Fuel Travel Center) in Buda for a report of an unconscious male near the gas pumps.
When deputies arrived at the scene, they located a male with apparent gunshot wounds to his body. They immediately notified Hays County/San Marcos EMS to respond to the scene. The male subject was later pronounced deceased by Hays County Justice of the Peace Sandra Bryant.
Hays County detectives were able to positively identify the vehicle driven by the suspect through the camera footage at the store and a FLOCK camera hit. The information was sent to the patrol deputies and at approximately 7 p.m. that evening, a patrol deputy observed the vehicle and attempted to pull it over. After a short vehicle and foot pursuit, the suspect, identified as Galvan-Ochoa, was located and arrested.
Galvan-Ochoa was charged with evading arrest with a vehicle, a third-degree felony, and murder, a first-degree felony, and was booked into the Hays County Jail on Sept. 8.
Revisit the Story at: https://www.haysfreepress.com/2023/09/08/man-arrested-murder-evading-arrest-buda/
