Melissa, TX – An escaped inmate from Alabama was captured Sunday afternoon at the Buc-ee’s in Melissa.

What we know:

Melissa police were alerted to a vehicle linked to the inmate’s escape after a Flock camera flagged it near the Buc-ee’s in Anna around 4:45 p.m. on Jan. 26.

The inmate, identified as 25-year-old Pierson McKinnley Anthony, was located in the parking lot. When the vehicle exited and began driving north on the frontage road, officers conducted a high-risk felony traffic stop.

Anthony surrendered without incident.

Officers later discovered the driver of the vehicle had an active felony warrant for aiding Anthony’s escape. Both Anthony and the driver were taken into custody and remain in the Collin County Jail while awaiting extradition to Alabama.

Anthony has been charged with a third-degree felony.

LULING, TEXAS – JUNE 12: The Buc-ee’s convenience store is seen on June 12, 2024 in Luling, Texas. The Texas-based convenience store and gas stop, Buc-ee’s has become the world’s largest convenience store with over 100 gas pumps and a 75,000 square f

The backstory:

Anthony escaped custody in Marion County, Alabama, more than 600 miles from Melissa. The drive from Marion County to the Buc-ee’s location takes about nine and a half hours without traffic.

What they’re saying:

“This is an example of how effective Flock technology can be in the apprehension of wanted fugitives from across the country,” said Melissa Police Chief Erik Stokes in a statement.

What we don’t know:

Authorities have not released details about Anthony’s original charges.

The driver’s identity and relationship to Anthony have not been disclosed.

This Alabama woman has become the longest-living recipient of a pig organ transplant; she achieved this by crossing that incredible two-month line. This is truly one of the biggest medical breakthroughs because it is a great milestone in medical science, not only to the woman but for everyone. Thriving with a genetically modified pig organ inside her, the lady beats expectations. She describes herself as “superwoman,” and the doctors and experts keep on being surprised by her, thus giving hope for the future of organ transplantation. Her case has captivated the world and marked a new era in medicine, with all the excitement regarding the possibilities of life-saving innovations.

Alabama woman reaches milestone of two months and becomes the longest living recipient of pig organ transplant

In what has been an unprecedented medical milestone, Alabama’s Towana Looney is now the longest survivor of a pig organ transplant. Tuesday marked her astonishing 61 days of living with the genetically modified pig kidney inside her. For more than two decades, Towana Looney has been on dialysis. Her unexpected turn came to happen when she became the fifth person in the United States to receive the life-saving organ.
Looney laughs as she mentions passing her family in long walks while in New York City, describes herself as a “superwoman” since she is basking in her effervescent recovery. “Her kidney function is absolutely normal,” said Dr. Robert Montgomery of NYU Langone Health, who led the transplant. Doctors hope Looney’s new kidney will function for years, bringing a fresh breath of hope for those waiting in lines for organ transplants.
The xenotransplantation has brought a beacon of hope in this country as most people have looked up to her for guidance regarding the potential treatment. Her remarkable recovery serves to be an exemplary inspiration for several other people and even for Looney herself.

Why scientists are turning to pig organs for life-saving transplants

Alabama woman Towana Looney has set a record for the longest survival of a pig organ transplant, living with her new kidney for more than two months. Looney, who had suffered for years with failing kidneys, is the fifth person in the U.S. to receive a gene-edited pig organ, providing new hope for patients desperate for transplants. Her kidney function is “absolutely normal,” said Dr. Robert Montgomery, who led the transplant at NYU Langone Health.
Scientists have increasingly been looking towards genetically modified pigs in tackling the critical shortage of human organs to be used as a means of transplantation. Already, over 100,000 people in the United States remain on lists awaiting a matching organ, and most of them die before it is too late. Pigs are genetically modified so that their organs can better match human biology. This should improve their chances for transplantation, making it a revolutionary discovery in transplant medicine since it would be considered a ‘renewable source’ for organs.
Looney’s success gives the whole field of xenotransplantation, that is, transplanting animal organs to save human lives, a boost in morale. Researchers learn from Looney’s case in designing future studies, and the success of Looney is allowing scientists to get ready for formal trials of pig organ transplants, which should soon start.
Also Read: “How lucky you are?”: Man walks away safely after being trapped between two buses

A series of collisions near Greenville killed one and injured two this week, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

Thaddeus Richardson Jr., 34, of Montgomery, died at the scene. Benjamin Carpenter, 41, of Daphne, and a 1-year-old suffered injuries and were taken to the hospital.

“The crash occurred on Interstate 65 near the 122-mile marker, approximately six miles south of Greenville, in Butler County,” according to the statement by Lieutenant Jeremy Burkett.

Burkett stated that the accidents began at about noon on Jan. 21 when a 2014 Kenworth tractor-trailer driven by Donald Richardson of Hudson, Fla., struck the rear end of a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Benjamin A. Carpenter, a man from Daphne.

At the time, Thaddeus Richardson was sitting on the driver’s side of a 2014 Ford Mustang with the door open following an earlier crash that officials have not detailed. Carpenter’s Silverado struck the stationary Mustang, ejecting Thaddeus Richardson, who was pronounced dead on the scene. A 1-year-old passenger was injured in the Mustang.

After hitting the Silverado, Donald Richardson’s Kenworth struck the rear of a 2025 Freightliner tractor-trailer driven by Dontrell Dorsey of Abbeville. A 2022 Chevrolet Tahoe driven by David Colston of Montgomery then struck the Kenworth.

Troopers with ALEA’s Highway Patrol Division are still investigating the crash.