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Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Three men sentenced for Cedar Park robbery
Three men who confessed to robbing a Cedar Park woman and illegally using her credit and debit cards have all been sentenced to prison.
Jamond Roberts, Justin Baumgarten and Jordan Tipton have all been sentenced to prison by Judge Burt Carnes for their involvement in the robbery, according to a release from Williamson County District Attorney John Bradley. The cases concluded today with a sentencing hearing for Baumgarten and Tipton.
The victim told Williamson County sheriff’s investigators that she was driving home on April 16, 2011, when she encountered large rocks blocking her path as she turned onto Heather Drive from El Salido Parkway. When she stopped, two males approached her car from nearby bushes and robbed her, officials said.
Roberts stood outside the driver’s side of Rego’s car, pointed a sawed-off shotgun at her and demanded her purse, officials said. Baumgarten stood outside the passenger side of Rego’s car and banged on the window, officials said. She gave Roberts her wallet, which contained cash and debit and credit cards. Roberts and Baumgaurten fled on foot.
Cedar Park investigators said they later identified Roberts and Baumgarten from security camera footage from various businesses in the Cedar Park area where they had used the credit and debit cards. Tipton was also identified using the credit and debit cards. The three were arrested and police said they all confessed.
Roberts pleaded guilty on Dec. 21 to aggravated robbery and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Tipton pleaded guilty on July 27 to engaging in organized criminal activity and agreed to testify against Roberts and Baumgarten. He was sentenced today to 15 months in state jail.
After hearing sentencing evidence against Baumgarten, Judge Burt Carnes today sentenced him to 12 years in prison. Roberts and Baumgarten must serve half of their sentences before they become eligible for parole. Tipton is not eligible for parole.
Permalink | Categories: Robbery
Woman struck by Capital Metro bus at North Austin intersection dies
A woman who was pinned under a Capitol Metro bus for close to half an hour last week died Tuesday, days after police said the woman didn’t appear to have serious injuries.
Amanda Dewey, 53, was taken to University Medical Center Brackenridge on Jan. 30 after she was struck and pinned under the bus for about 25 minutes in North Austin, authorities said.
The bus struck Dewey when it was turning left on Jollyville Road from westbound Braker Lane, according to an investigation by Austin police. Both the vehicle and Dewey had a green light, but she had the right of way, according to the police department.
Police said Dewey died as a result of her injuries, the eighth traffic fatality this year. At this time in 2011, there were five traffic fatalities, according to the police department.
In a statement issued Wednesday, Capital Metro said that Dewey’s death is the first pedestrian fatality involving one the agency’s buses in its history.
In February 2011, a person speeding in a stolen SUV crossed into oncoming traffic and struck a Capital Metro bus head on, said Capital Metro spokesman Adam Shaivitz, citing Austin police accounts. The driver of the SUV was killed. In 2001, a bicyclist was killed when she fell into the path of a bus, he said.
“The safety of our community is a top priority for Capital Metro and all of its contractors with drivers doing through a comprehensive and ongoing safety training program,” according to the statement. “Capital Metro will continue to cooperate with the ongoing investigation.”
Last week, Shaivitz said Veolia Transportation, a Capital Metro contractor, was launching an investigation of the incident.
Two residents bound with tape in Leander home invasion
Two men armed with stun guns forced their way into a Leander home and bound two residents’ hands with tape Tuesday night, police said.
An unknown amount of cash and other items were taken from the home, police said, after the armed men made demands about the location of a safe.
A similar home invasion took place on the same street in December, when a woman was zapped with a stun gun and restrained with duct tape before managing to free herself and her three duct-taped sons. The suspects also demanded to know where a safe was located in the house and left with two cell phones, police said.
The home invasion Tuesday took place in the 2400 block of Elkhorn Ranch Road about 7:45 p.m., officials said. Anyone with information on the incident should contact Williamson County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-253-7867 or online at www.wilcocrimetips.org.
Teacher facing felony for giving student ‘morning-after pill,’ police say
A high school girls basketball coach is facing a felony charge for giving a “morning-after pill” to a student who was worried that she was pregnant, according to an arrest affidavit released today.
Tracy Lee Steinberg, 32, has been charged with delivery of a dangerous drug following an investigation into the incident last month at LBJ High School in Northeast Austin, the affidavit said.
Steinberg, who also was a math teacher at LBJ, gave the pill to a 16-year-old student who was crying in her class about Jan. 26 because she had unprotected sex with her boyfriend, the affidavit said.
Steinberg told the student that “she and her boyfriend had bright futures, and (Steinberg) could help her out by getting her a ‘morning-after’ emergency contraceptive pill,” the affidavit said.
The student did not have a prescription for the medication, which is required for females younger than 17, the affidavit said.
The student and her boyfriend then gave Steinberg money for the medication, the affidavit said.
“Steinberg returned in about an hour and gave (the student) two pills and a Sprite,” the affidavit said. The student said the pills were in a box “but Steinberg took the pills out of the box and kept the box, because she didn’t want to get in trouble.”
Steinberg also warned the student she could experience side effects, such as a menstrual period, the affidavit said.
Later, the student texted Steinberg and said she was nauseous, light-headed and experiencing back pain, the affidavit said. The student also said she was frightened, the affidavit said.
Steinberg texted back “this was normal, and to take a hot shower and relax,” the affidavit said.
The girl then reported the incident to her mother, who reported it to school police, the affidavit said. Soon after, Steinberg was placed on administrative leave with pay, pending an investigation and subsequently resigned, the affidavit said.
Steinberg first denied to police she gave the medication to the student, the affidavit said. Under further questioning, the teacher confessed to purchasing the medication at a Planned Parenthood facility in North Austin.
Steinberg “expressed anger at (the student), blaming her for getting in trouble,” the affidavit said.
Steinberg faces a $15,000 bail for the felony charge and was not shown currently booked in the Travis County Jail, records show.
