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11-year-old accused in adoptive dad’s birthday night killing over video game now faces adult trial: docs

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11-year-old accused in adoptive dad’s birthday night killing over video game now faces adult trial: docs

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An 11-year-old boy accused of fatally shooting his father inside their Pennsylvania home made his first court appearance Thursday, about a month after the deadly incident.

Clayton Dietz, 11, is charged as an adult with criminal homicide in the Jan. 13 shooting death of his adoptive father, 42-year-old Douglas Dietz. The shooting happened in the family’s Duncannon home on the child’s birthday.

According to a Perry County criminal docket, Dietz waived his preliminary hearing on Feb. 19, and the case was marked “waived for court,” meaning it will proceed to the Court of Common Pleas.

The docket shows bail was denied Jan. 13, and Dietz remains confined at the Perry County Prison.

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Local outlet WHP reported that Dietz arrived at the Perry County Courthouse in New Bloomfield just after noon for his scheduled 1:30 p.m. preliminary hearing. He was handcuffed and surrounded by probation officers as he entered the courtroom, the outlet noted.

The Perry County Courthouse in New Bloomfield, Pa., where 11-year-old Clayton Dietz waived his preliminary hearing in the fatal shooting case involving his father. (Google Maps)

Family members declined to comment after the proceeding, WHP reported. However, defense attorney Dave Wilson said he plans to seek a transfer of the case to juvenile court.

“My goal is going to be to try to get him into juvenile court,” Wilson said, according to the outlet.

Court records cited by WHP outline what investigators say led up to the shooting.

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Authorities were called to the home shortly after 3 a.m. Jan. 13, and Douglas Dietz was found on his back with an apparent gunshot wound to the head, according to the affidavit referenced by the outlet.

DOG THE BOUNTY HUNTER’S STEPSON ARRESTED AFTER 13-YEAR-OLD SON’S FATAL SHOOTING

The Pennsylvania State Police Museum in Hershey covers the history of the first uniformed state police department in the U.S. (Tim Leedy/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images)

Jillian Dietz, Douglas’ wife and Clayton’s mother, told investigators she and her husband had gone to bed shortly after midnight after singing “Happy Birthday” to Clayton. A loud noise woke her from her sleep, and after attempting to wake her husband, she realized he was unresponsive and discovered blood on the bed, according to court documents cited by WHP.

When Clayton entered the room, Jillian yelled words to the effect of “Daddy’s dead,” the outlet reported. The boy allegedly ran downstairs shouting, “My dad’s dead.”

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While speaking with Jillian and Clayton in the kitchen, a state trooper reported hearing Clayton say, “I killed Daddy,” according to the outlet.

GEORGIA FATHER ON TRIAL, ACCUSED OF GIVING SON RIFLE BEFORE SCHOOL SHOOTING

A shot from above of a young man’s hands holding a neon-colored Nintendo Switch video game system developed and released by Nintendo Co., Ltd. in 2017.  (iStock)

Investigators allege Clayton told authorities he had been searching for his Nintendo Switch, which had previously been taken away from him, when he found the keys to a gun safe. Believing the gaming console might be inside, he opened the safe and retrieved a revolver, WHP reported.

During questioning, Clayton allegedly said he became upset after being told to go to bed. When asked what he thought would happen when he fired the gun, he reportedly said he was angry and did not consider the consequences, according to the outlet.

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Court records cited by WHP state Clayton admitted that “he had someone in mind who he was going to shoot” and that he loaded the revolver, pulled back the hammer and shot his father while he was sleeping.

GEORGIA TEEN ARRESTED AFTER FATHER TURNS HIM IN FOLLOWING PAIR OF SHOOTINGS, POLICE SAY

Authorities also noted Clayton had a “large contusion” above his left eye and a small laceration on his lower lip, the outlet reported.

In a news release issued the day of the shooting, the Perry County District Attorney’s Office said Pennsylvania State Police responded to the home at approximately 3 a.m. for a report of a male with a gunshot wound. Upon arrival, troopers found Douglas Dietz deceased from an apparent gunshot wound.

Clayton remains charged as an adult with criminal homicide. Further proceedings are expected as the defense seeks to move the case to juvenile court.

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The investigation remains ongoing.

Fox News Digital reached out to Dietz’s lawyer for comment. 

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.

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Boston, MA

MBTA, state transportation chief apologizes for ‘insensitive’ employee hair-pulling incident

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MBTA, state transportation chief apologizes for ‘insensitive’ employee hair-pulling incident


Gov. Maura Healey’s Transportation Secretary and MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng said he has apologized “fully” to the subordinate T employee he’s been accused of pulling the hair of at a work dinner two years ago.

Eng has come under fire for the late 2024 incident this week and admits that it was a “mistake” that has forced him to reflect upon his actions.

“My goal is always to lead with respect and inclusivity,” Eng said in a statement. “I know that this was a mistake, and I own that. I have apologized to this employee fully and have reflected on my actions.

“I am committed to learning from this experience and upholding the highest standards of professionalism in all my interactions as secretary and general manager,” Eng added.

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The MBTA said the incident, first reported by Contrarian Boston, occurred in November 2024 at a restaurant where T employees and their spouses were having a team dinner.

WCVB-TV reported that the MBTA employee has told people the interaction with Eng was not welcome and highly inappropriate.

The station described Eng as being accused of committing the hair-pulling faux pas while saying good-bye to the T employee after a work function at a brewery.

The MBTA confirmed that an “insensitive” interaction occurred between Eng and an employee, but downplayed the incident as occurring in the context of a larger conversation about hair from earlier in the evening that included multiple people.

Eng was poking fun at his own baldness when the alleged interaction occurred, according to the MBTA.

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“The MBTA is committed to fostering a respectful, inclusive workplace environment,” MBTA spokesperson Joe Pesaturo said in a statement. “Leadership plays a critical role in that. Two years ago, General Manager Eng had an insensitive interaction with one of his direct reports. He subsequently apologized directly to this employee.

“Any claims of harassment, discrimination or retaliatory behavior are completely without merit,” Pesaturo added.

Sources have told WCVB-TV that the T employee is involved in negotiations to leave their job with the agency.

Eng is the state’s top transportation official. Healey appointed him as general manager of the MBTA in 2023, and interim transportation secretary in late 2025.

He was paid $509,114 last year, which includes a $30,000 retention payment he is eligible for each year he remains with the T, per his contract and state payroll records. He does not get additional pay for working dual roles in Massachusetts, but continues to take in a roughly $185,000 pension from New York.

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Eng, former president of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Long Island Rail Road, came out of retirement to work for the MBTA, but remains retired with the New York State and Local Employees’ Retirement System, which is paying him a gross monthly pension of $15,357.39, according to the New York State Comptroller’s office.



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Pittsburg, PA

Colorado Rockies vs. Pittsburgh Pirates game discussion: Bubba Chandler vs. Kyle Freeland

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Colorado Rockies vs. Pittsburgh Pirates game discussion: Bubba Chandler vs. Kyle Freeland


The Colorado Rockies (28-47) had the day off Thursday after an uneven road trip that took them from Las Vegas to Wrigley Field. They dropped two of three to the Athletics, with the lone win coming in a wild 23-9 game, then went to Chicago and again lost two of three.

That leaves the Rockies at 6-9 in June with a -7 run differential. Even that number is softened by the 23-run outburst against the Athletics. Colorado has been pesky and more competitive, which is an improvement from last month, but the results are still the results: they enter tonight with the worst record in baseball — if only by a game.

Cole Carrigg has brought energy since arriving, and Sterlin Thompson is coming off a two-homer game at Wrigley. There are plenty of reasons to keep watching. The problem is that the old bad-team tropes are still there: blown leads, rocked starters, missed chances, defensive mistakes, and poor execution. The Rockies have been in more games, but they are still too often finding ways to let winnable games get away.

Now they get the Pirates at home.

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The Pittsburgh Pirates (38-37) arrive at Coors Field in fourth place in the competitive NL Central — and only 1.5 games out of a wild card spot. Pittsburgh gets plenty of attention for its hyped rotation, led by Paul Skenes, but the offense has been much improved. The Pirates rank third in MLB in batting average, third in on-base percentage, fourth in OPS, fifth in runs scored, and sixth in stolen bases.

Kyle Freeland takes the mound to open the homestand for the Rox. The left-hander enters at 1-7 with a 7.98 ERA, 49 strikeouts, and a 1.70 WHIP over 58.2 innings.

The fastball has been the biggest issue. Freeland is leaving too many four-seamers over the middle of the plate, and hitters have punished it. Opponents are slugging .794 against the pitch, which is especially damaging because he still throws it roughly 27-29% of the time.

That continued in his last start, when Freeland allowed six runs on 10 hits over 5.2 innings. He gave up 12 hard-hit balls, with both the cutter and four-seamer taking damage. The cutter was his most-used pitch in that outing, but it did not solve the contact problem. His sweeper has been his best pitch, holding hitters to a .171 batting average and .371 slugging percentage with a 32.8% whiff rate.

The Rockies do not need Freeland to be perfect tonight, but they need him to avoid the middle-middle mistakes that have turned innings quickly this season.

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Pittsburgh will counter with Bubba Chandler, a 23-year-old right-hander who enters at 2-7 with a 4.76 ERA, 68 strikeouts, and a 1.38 WHIP over 68.0 innings.

The record is not pretty, but the stuff is real. Chandler averages 98.5 mph with his four-seam fastball and topped out over 101 mph in his last start. He has used the fastball nearly half the time this season, pairing it most often with a changeup and slider.

The slider has been his best bat-missing pitch, generating a 37.9% whiff rate on the season. The changeup has also been effective, holding hitters to a .186 batting average and .288 slugging percentage. Chandler has walked 43 batters, so the Rockies’ best chance may be making him work instead of chasing their way out of innings.

Kyle Karros has been swinging it well lately, hitting .370/.442/.565 over his last 15 games and raising his season wRC+ to 90. Willi Castro has two home runs, nine RBI, and a .680 slugging percentage over his last seven games, while T.J. Rumfield is hitting .321 with a .750 slugging percentage and two home runs in his last seven games.

For Pittsburgh, Bryan Reynolds has been especially hot, hitting .414/.469/.828 with three home runs over his last seven games. Brandon Lowe leads the team with 18 home runs and 49 RBI while slugging .511, and Endy Rodríguez has played well from behind the plate while posting a 149 wRC+ in 76 plate appearances since returning to the lineup in mid-May.

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For Colorado, the task is straightforward: get a steadier start from Freeland, make Chandler throw strikes, and turn the recent flashes from the lineup into enough sustained pressure to win a winnable game.

First Pitch: 6:40 p.m. MDT

Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM; KNRV 1150

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Connecticut

Person hospitalized in Westport crash that briefly closed I-95, officials say

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Person hospitalized in Westport crash that briefly closed I-95, officials say


WESTPORT — A two-vehicle crash on Interstate 95 caused a traffic slowdown stretching for miles into Fairfield Friday afternoon, according to state officials. 

The crash scene has since been cleared.

Connecticut State Police said the two-car crash was reported near Exit 17 in the southbound lanes at 3:03 p.m.

One driver was taken to the hospital for reported injuries, the agency said.

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The crash closed the right lane of the highway, causing cars and trucks to be backed up for miles along I-95 into Fairfield, traffic cameras showed.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.



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