Police Blotter

Man with gun arrested at Boston bus terminal

Boston, MA

Officers assigned to District B-2 responded to 25 Warren Street for a report of a person with a gun. Transit Police provided a description of the suspect, leading officers to locate an individual matching that description at the Bus Terminal platform.

Officers stopped the suspect and conducted a pat frisk, recovering a firearm from his waistband. A folding knife and brass knuckles were also retrieved during the stop.

District Detectives were called to process the evidence discovered at the scene. The firearm, a Bersa .380, contained one round in the chamber and six rounds in the magazine.

Freddie Bates, 48, of Boston, was arrested and is expected to face charges in Roxbury District Court. His charges include carrying a loaded firearm without a license, possession of a firearm without an FID card, and carrying a dangerous weapon.

Reno man sentenced to life for murder of ex-girlfriend over lease dispute

Reno, NV A 20-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Janaya Baker, who was 18 years old. Malik Coleman received the sentence on Monday and will be eligible for parole after serving 28 years.

The shooting occurred on November 16, 2023, at an apartment on North Virginia Street. Baker was found with a gunshot wound to her head and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Coleman had been in a relationship with Baker but was removed from her lease shortly before the shooting. Surveillance footage captured him entering her apartment while she was at work, where he waited for her return.

Audio evidence of their encounter recorded Baker questioning Coleman before a gunshot was heard. After the shooting, Coleman left the apartment and later sent a text message to Baker’s mother saying that she had been shot.

Washoe County District Attorney’s Office indicated that Chief Deputy District Attorney Nicole Hicks had urged the judge to impose a life sentence without parole, emphasizing the seriousness of the crime.

Baker’s family had expressed deep sorrow following her death, highlighting the loss of a young life.

Miami mom accused of dragging woman with car following argument

Miami, FL – Crystal Collins, 43, has been arrested for allegedly dragging a woman with her vehicle after a verbal altercation. The incident reportedly occurred on September 13.

Collins was taken into custody on Wednesday and charged with two counts of battery. She was later released on pretrial conditions from the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.

According to an arrest affidavit, the victim accused Collins of dragging her “several yards” after her daughter allegedly instructed Collins to do so. The confrontation began outside a residence on NW 37th Avenue in the early hours.

At the time of the incident, Collins was driving a Nissan Altima with her daughter when the argument escalated. The daughter reportedly pulled the victim’s shirt from inside the car before Collins allegedly accelerated the vehicle.

The victim was treated for road rash injuries at a local hospital following the incident. She informed police that this was not the first altercation involving Collins and her daughter.

Collins was located by police on Wednesday, where she admitted to speaking with detectives about the altercation. She claimed that the victim approached her at a wake and attempted to fight her daughter, resulting in physical contact through the car window.

The affidavit noted that Collins recorded cellphone videos of the incident. Police reviewed the footage, finding it corroborated the victim’s account rather than Collins’.

Following the arrest, Collins was booked on battery charges and ordered to stay away from the victim. A court date has been scheduled for January 20, 2026.

Juvenile girls arrested after attempted carjacking in Dorchester

Dorchester, MA Officers assigned to District C-11 responded to a report of a carjacking on Thursday night. A victim reported a group of individuals attempted to steal his moped at around 9:51 PM on Westville Street.

Three female suspects were observed trying to steal the vehicle before fleeing when the victim resisted. Upon arrival, officers broadcast descriptions of the suspects to responding units.

Officers located the suspects attempting to jump a fence behind 192 Westville Street. After failing to jump over, the suspects forcefully pushed through the fence, causing damage.

The suspects, identified as juvenile females aged 13, 16, and 17, were taken into custody. They are expected to be arraigned in Dorchester District Court on charges of carjacking, malicious destruction of property over $1,200, and trespassing.

Mother pleads guilty after abandoning son on busy highway

Brookfield, WI A mother has pleaded guilty to abandoning her 12-year-old son after a dispute over his grades. Flor Escalante, 44, faced charges following the incident that occurred last year.

On Thursday, Escalante admitted to the charge of abandonment, while the judge dismissed the related child neglect charge. She received a sentence of two years probation.

The incident took place on November 8 when Escalante was driving her son to a Sylvan Learning Center. Following an argument, she pulled over on the I-94 highway and instructed him to exit the vehicle.

The boy was left to walk approximately two miles alone. Weather conditions were around 50 degrees, and he was not properly dressed for the temperature.

Multiple drivers alerted authorities about a child walking along the highway. They reported a “10- or 12-year-old on the shoulder crying.”

Police arrived and took the boy to the learning center where Escalante was waiting. She told officers that her son “didn’t appreciate everything [she] did for him.”

Escalante expressed she made him walk to teach him the value of hard work. She stated she intended to pick him up but could not locate him.

The case highlights concerns regarding parental responsibility and child safety on busy roads.

Minnesota woman sentenced to 40 years for ex-girlfriend’s murder

Minneapolis, MN A woman was sentenced this week to 40 years in prison for the murder of her ex-girlfriend, a case that drew significant attention. Margot Lewis, 33, was found guilty of second-degree murder with intent and second-degree murder without intent while using a dangerous weapon.

Lewis stabbed Liara Tsai, 35, in the neck on June 22, killing her in her studio apartment. After committing the crime, Lewis wrapped Tsai’s body in bedding and a tarp, then placed it in Tsai’s car.

The victim’s body was discovered after Lewis crashed the vehicle on Interstate 90 near Highway 42 in Eyota. Two good Samaritans who stopped to assist found Tsai’s remains in the back seat.

In court, prosecutors described the murder as a betrayal, highlighting that Tsai was writing love poems to Lewis while Lewis wrote about her desire to harm her.

Assistant Hennepin County Attorney Erin Lutz stated that Tsai’s death left a significant void for those who knew her.

Lewis exhibited a lack of remorse during the proceedings, claiming she loved Tsai and would not have killed her.

During sentencing, Judge Paul Scoggin cautioned Lewis against interrupting him as he explained the rationale behind her sentence.

The court permitted an upward sentencing departure, and Lewis received 517 days of credit for time spent in pretrial detention.

Lewis faces additional charges for concealing Tsai’s body.

Confession in choking death leads to wrongful death lawsuit against DoorDash

Cincinnati, OH A DoorDash driver’s boyfriend has confessed to choking a man to death during a dispute over a driving incident. The incident has prompted a wrongful death lawsuit against the food delivery service, alleging improper conduct by the couple involved.

Lavontez Davis, 26, pleaded guilty on Monday to charges of strangulation and involuntary manslaughter for the October 2023 death of Jason McKinnon. The lawsuit, filed by McKinnon’s widow, claims Davis and his girlfriend, Shimya Berry, were working for DoorDash at the time of the altercation.

According to the legal complaint, after the altercation, the couple resumed their deliveries. The complaint states they picked up a DoorDash order shortly after the incident and completed the delivery.

Witnesses reported Davis exited the vehicle and approached McKinnon, who had shouted at Berry for driving the wrong way on a one-way street. The confrontation escalated, resulting in Davis placing McKinnon in a chokehold.

Days after the incident, McKinnon died from his injuries. Davis, originally charged with murder and felonious assault, was sentenced to 15 to 20 years in prison.

The civil lawsuit names Davis, Berry, and DoorDash as defendants, claiming their actions contributed to McKinnon’s death. The lawsuit also includes statements from family members expressing the immense loss suffered due to the incident.

McKinnon’s widow, Emily Livingston, stated that the event has caused unbearable pain for her and her family. DoorDash issued a statement expressing condolences, emphasizing that Davis was not a registered driver for the company.