Dallas, TX
Dallas traffic death toll surpasses 2023 as leaders press for change on city’s deadliest street
The traffic death toll in Dallas has already surpassed last year’s total, with more than two weeks left in 2024, according to an analysis of Texas Department of Transportation data by NBC 5 Investigates.
So far this year, 207 people have died in crashes on Dallas streets, compared to 205 in 2023.
On Friday, city and state leaders held a news conference to update plans to address safety concerns on the city’s deadliest roadway: Loop 12. For another year, Loop 12 earned that unwanted title with 21 fatal crashes this year alone.
“Five years, my friends. Citywide, nearly 500 accidents involving serious injury have taken place on Loop 12,” said State Sen. Royce West (D-Dallas) at a news conference at Dallas City Hall.
NBC 5 News
West stepped forward to address the concerns on Loop 12 earlier this year, on the heels of an NBC 5 investigation that identified systemic dangers on the loop. Dangers include high speeds, an outdated roadway design, and a lack of safe places for pedestrians to cross the street.
In one spot near Loop 12 and Bonnie View Road, NBC 5 Investigates found five pedestrians had died in less than a year. The death toll at that location has since increased to seven.
“The information that was provided by your station helped us focus with laser certainty on trying to get something done and bringing together the city, the state,” West said in an interview with NBC 5 Investigates.
In the wake of NBC 5’s reporting, West pulled together TxDOT, the City of Dallas and the North Texas Central Council of Governments. They have pledged to install more than a dozen new protected pedestrian crossings on Loop 12 over the next 18 months.
The city and state also lowered the speed limit on the loop and installed bold new speed signs, even speed limit numbers painted on the pavement. They have also promised to re-examine the road’s design to help address the high speeds.
Dallas police joined West at Friday’s news conference. Interim Chief of Police Michael Igo revealed the city is using new software to identify stretches of road where speeds are too high.
NBC 5 News
“It’s based on GPS tracking and it monitors those vehicles that are going through those areas,” said Igo.
When the software flags a speed danger zone, police can deploy additional officers to that location to conduct speed patrols.
It’s really given us some good feedback on areas we needed to address,” Igo said.
Dallas City Councilwoman Carolyn Arnold said Friday that she is seeking help from other regional law enforcement agencies to assist Dallas police with controlling speeds on Loop 12.
“We are reaching out to all law enforcement and public safety partners to help us in this corridor,” Arnold said.
Meanwhile, the city is also pleading with drivers to help reduce speeds and deaths.
Igo said drivers would notice an increased speed enforcement presence on Loop 12, and he urged people to call 911 to report extreme speeds and erratic driving.
”I’m encouraging everybody to slow down because you will see police officers on that stretch of the road,” Igo said.
(Editor’s Note: As part of the preparation for training camp, this series will introduce 25 players who are new to the Cowboys’ roster, rookies and veterans alike. We’ll continue with outside linebacker Tyrus Wheat.)
The 2026 season will mark a homecoming for Wheat, who is now back in Dallas for his second stint with the Cowboys. As an undrafted free agent out of Mississippi State, Wheat signed with the Cowboys in 2023 on the practice squad before quickly being signed to the active roster a few months afterwards.
In his rookie season, Wheat saw a majority of his snaps come on special teams with 197, and only 31 snaps on defense. That would flip in his second season, with 165 snaps on defense and 46 on special teams. Through two years, Wheat played in 20 games and tallied 18 tackles and half a sack before spending a year with the Lions in 2025.
As is true across all levels of football, you can never have enough pass rushers. Wheat gives the Cowboys another pass rusher, who has the added ability to be able to help out on special teams as well as a blocker on kickoffs.
As for how much he’ll be in the defensive rotation, that’ll have to be something he earns in training camp. The Cowboys have some younger pass rushers ahead of him now like Donovan Ezeiruaku and first-round pick Malachi Lawrence, so there’ll need to be some proving done. That said, Wheat is also coming off his best year yet with the Lions. Will it be enough to find a role in the pass rush rotation? Oxnard will give us a good idea of that.
- Wheat played a vital special teams role for the Lions last season, tallying 11 special teams tackles which was the third-most for Detroit in 2025. He played a career-high 215 special teams snaps in order to get to that point.
- Wheat’s one and only season away from the Cowboys thus far in his career saw him play in 15 games for the Lions, where he also tallied a career-high 15 tackles and 1.5 sacks despite only playing 66 defensive snaps.
- After wearing 91 in his first stint with Dallas, Wheat returns to the Cowboys wearing 90 now, which was last worn by defensive tackle Solomon Thomas.
Detroit Pistons introduce second-round pick Ugonna Onyenso
Detroit Pistons rookie second-round pick Ugonna Onyenso is introduced to members of the media July 6, 2026.
The Detroit Pistons have traded a third player this summer.
The Pistons agreed to deal 25-year-old combo guard Marcus Sasser to the Dallas Mavericks, coached by ex-Michigan coach Dusty May, on Tuesday, July 7, according to ESPN. The Pistons are also sending a protected 2028 second-round pick to the Los Angeles Clippers.
This comes as part of a complex six-team trade that includes the Pistons dealing Caris LeVert in a salary-saving move to the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday evening. The six-team trade also involves the previously reported moves of the Pistons trading Isaiah Stewart to the Memphis Grizzlies and the Pistons’ acquisition of John Collins from the Clippers.
The Pistons generate a trade exception worth $15 million in the trade-palooza, a person with first-hand knowledge told the Free Press, granted anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly. The trade exception is worth the same amount as Stewart’s outgoing salary for 2026-27 and allows the Pistons to take in salary up to $15 million without having to send any back. It expires in exactly one year.
Sasser joins a Mavs backcourt where Kyrie Irving is the starting lead guard, and could compete with second-year undrafted guard Ryan Nembhard for the backup role.
Sasser, who the Pistons traded up to draft 25th overall out of Houston in 2023 under previous general manager Troy Weaver, averaged 5.2 points and shot 41.5% from 3. He is on an expiring contract worth $5.2 million from his four-year, $13.5 million rookie deal.
When called upon, Sasser proved he can play. The 6-foot-1, 195-pounder was one of the team’s best shooters, but only appeared in 38 games last season due to injury and the Pistons’ depth at guard.
Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon indicated a desire to add more ball-handling and shooting this offseason, after a 60-22 season ended in Game 7 of the second round.
Sasser’s path to minutes wasn’t going to get easier following the addition of first-round pick Ebuka Okorie, a 19-year-old from Stanford, whom the Pistons traded up four spots to draft No. 17 overall.
Then, Langdon traded for one of the NBA’s best 3-point shooters in guard Isaiah Joe in a deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Sasser, who was out of the playoff rotation until Game 5 of the second round, sparked the Pistons in Game 6 at Cleveland, pouring in nine points on 4-for-5 shooting in 18 minutes in a win-or-go-home setting. He played 23 minutes in Game 7, scoring nine points on 3-for-12 shooting in a 125-94 blowout loss to the Cavaliers at home.
Pistons roster moves this offseason
The Pistons have turned over much of the roster this summer through the draft and NBA free agency.
Here’s who they’ve added and who they’ve lost:
Lost
- Traded Marcus Sasser (Mavericks)
- Traded Caris LeVert (Bucks)
- Traded Isaiah Stewart (Grizzlies)
- Tobias Harris (Spurs)
Added
- Drafted Ebuka Okorie (No. 17)
- Drafted Ugonna Onyenso (No. 53, two-way contract)
- Acquired Isaiah Joe (Thunder)
- Acquired John Collins (Clippers)
- Acquired Taurean Prince (Bucks)
- Acquired Gary Harris (Bucks)
The Pistons also re-signed bench wings Kevin Huerter and Javonte Green.
Pistons depth chart
The Pistons have 16 players on their 15-man roster, plus two of three two-way slots filled. Here’s where their depth chart currently stands as of Wednesday morning:
*Jalen Duren remains unsigned as a restricted free agent.
- PG: Cade Cunningham, Daniss Jenkins, Ebuka Okorie.
- SG: Duncan Robinson, Isaiah Joe, Javonte Green, Chaz Lanier, Gary Harris.
- SF: Ausar Thompson, Ron Holland, Kevin Huerter, Taurean Prince.
- PF: John Collins, Isaac Jones (two-way).
- C: *Jalen Duren, Paul Reed, Tolu Smith, Ugonna Onyenso (two-way).
[ MUST WATCH: Make “The Pistons Pulse” your go-to Pistons podcast, listen available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) or watch live on YouTube. ]
Dusty May on leaving Michigan for the Dallas Mavericks
New Dallas Mavericks head coach Dusty May sat down with FOX 4’s Mike Doocy to discuss why he left the University of Michigan for an NBA job, how his wife and family have supported his journey, his expectations for transforming the Mavs into a championship contender, and more.
DALLAS – North Texans are eager to learn all about the Dallas Mavericks’ new head coach, Dusty May, and his plan for the team.
Dallas Mavs Coach Dusty May
What we know:
May is fresh off a national title win with the Michigan Wolverines.
In his two season in Ann Arbor, May guided the Wolverines to a 64-13 record.
In his prior stint as the head coach at Florida Atlantic University, May guided the Owls to a Final Four in 2023 and multiple NCAA tournament berths.
May comes in as the replacement for Jason Kidd, who the Mavericks parted ways with in late May.
He’s the first big hire under Masai Ujiri, who was hired as the team’s new President of Basketball Operations in early May.
This will be May’s first stint as an NBA head coach.
What they’re saying:
In an interview with Mike Doocy, the 49-year-old coach said he thinks the Mavericks could become real championship contenders sooner rather than later.
He highlighted Kyrie Irving’s return, the potential of Max Christie, and, of course, the skills of star rookie Cooper Flag.
“I think it’s just his mindset, his tenacity, his ability to play every single position at a high level and play both sides of the ball. The fact that he’s always won. He hasn’t always been on the most talented teams, so he’s a competitor that’s up for the challenge. I could literally go on all day about the positive attributes that Cooper has,” he said.
In terms of adjusting from college basketball to the NBA, May said he’s excited about the coaching staff he’s putting together.
He plans to rely on the veterans on the team and in the office as he starts his professional basketball career.
The Source: Information in this article comes from an interview with Dallas Mavericks head coach Dusty May.
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