Christopher Ruddle, Author at Ballot News

Exploding Fire Destroys Casa Grande Home

Investigators have not named a cause, but residents and city records point to long-running safety concerns at the property where the blaze began. CASA GRANDE, Ariz. — Investigators in Casa Grande are treating a weekend house fire with explosions as suspicious after flames destroyed one home, damaged two others and displaced multiple families on North Trekell Road. The April 18 fire has become more than an emergency response story because it appears to sit at …

Man found dead on Louisville road in PRP investigation

Police said the victim was discovered early Wednesday beside a vehicle on Franklin Avenue. LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville Metro Police are investigating after a man was found dead early Wednesday in the Pleasure Ridge Park area, where officers responding to a reported shooting discovered him lying in the roadway next to a vehicle on Franklin Avenue. Police said officers were called shortly after 6:15 a.m. to the 2600 block of Franklin Avenue. When they arrived, …

Three Dead Across Adair County Before Police Kill Armed Suspect

Residents and investigators are piecing together what happened across a rural Kentucky county after a shooting call grew into a triple homicide case. COLUMBIA, Ky. — What began as a Monday morning shooting call in Adair County ended with three people dead at separate homes, an armed suspect killed by Kentucky State Police and a shaken rural community waiting for answers about how the violence spread so quickly. The case matters here not only because …

Florida deputies say man aiming at attacking dog fatally shot its owner

Suspect faces murder charge after authorities say he fired at a dog. LEESBURG, Fla. — A man accused of trying to stop a dog attack by shooting the animal has been arrested after authorities said he instead killed the dog’s owner, setting off a weekend search before his capture. The incident has drawn attention for its unusual and tragic chain of events, with investigators working to determine how an apparent intervention escalated into a fatal …

Propane explosion in vehicle jolts Virginia neighborhood after driver lights cigarette

Investigators say a leaking propane cylinder likely filled the vehicle with gas before the Thursday morning explosion. BURKE, Va. — A woman was injured after a minivan exploded and caught fire at a busy Burke intersection on Thursday morning, sending debris across the road and into nearby yards as the blast shook townhouses along Lee Chapel Road, according to investigators and neighbors. The explosion drew an emergency response to Old Keene Mill Road and Lee …

Mother Killed on SR 46 While Carrying Baby, Infant Survives

Nearly a week after the crash, Destiny Gonzalez’s family says grief has turned into a push for clarity about her final hours. SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — The father of a 24-year-old woman killed on State Road 46 while carrying her infant is asking for answers about the hours before her death, saying the family still does not know why she ended up on the highway before sunrise. Destiny Gonzalez was killed April 14 near Jungle …

Two teens killed, five hurt in Winston-Salem park shooting

Police said gunfire broke out after a planned fight among juveniles escalated at Leinbach Park. WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Two teenagers were killed and five others were wounded after a planned fight at a city park turned into a burst of gunfire Monday morning, sending officers, families and school officials scrambling as investigators worked to identify everyone involved. Authorities said the shooting happened at Leinbach Park shortly before 10 a.m. on April 20, after police were …

18-Year-Old Shoots Herself Inside Valley Forge High School Cafeteria

Officials scheduled grief counseling, shuttle service and revised testing plans after a student died Monday at Valley Forge High School. PARMA, Ohio — Parma City School District canceled classes for Valley Forge and Normandy high schools for two days after an 18-year-old student died Monday following a self-inflicted shooting at Valley Forge High School in Parma Heights, officials said. The district’s response moved quickly from emergency lockdown procedures to grief support and scheduling changes for …

Teen Accused of Assaulting, Killing 2-Year-Old Cousin in San Jose

Officials allege the child suffered fatal injuries following an assault inside a family home. SAN JOSE, Calif. — A 2-year-old boy’s death in San Jose has led to murder and sexual assault charges against his 17-year-old cousin, authorities said, marking a tragic case that has drawn widespread concern across the community. Investigators said the child, known as Baby Jaxon, was found unresponsive at a residence, prompting an emergency response. Medical personnel attempted to revive him, …

Alabama 10-Year-Old Found Fatally Stabbed; Juvenile Charged With Murder

Police say another juvenile was charged after 10-year-old Katheryn Aliceanna Bigbee was found Friday night at a home in Calhoun County. PIEDMONT, Ala. — A 10-year-old girl who was reported missing late Friday was found with fatal stab wounds at a Piedmont home, authorities said, and another juvenile has been charged with murder in a case that has shaken the small Calhoun County city. The case moved from a missing-child call to a homicide investigation …