Southwest
Texas officer sues former department after life 'crushed' by dropped rape charge
A Texas police officer is suing investigators for allegedly ignoring evidence that would have exonerated him from a rape accusation that he says ruined his life and took months to undo.
The officer, Freddie Douglas, was arrested in December after the girlfriend of one of his longtime friends accused both him and her boyfriend of raping her. The charges were eventually dropped, but Douglas’ lawsuit argues police were aware of evidence that would have exonerated the two men but refused to look into it and moved forward with the arrests regardless.
The girlfriend, identified in the complaint as Amanda Zawieruszynski, alleged that both Douglas and her boyfriend, John Marks, raped her at Marks’ home on Nov. 8, 2023. The complaint details that she “claimed that she tried to fight Marks off,” and that Marks then “pushed her over to Douglas who had sex with her while she was trying to fight him off.” Marks and Douglas were arrested in December and Marks immediately protested that surveillance footage from inside his home would contradict the accusation.
The lawsuit, filed by attorney Mike Kerensky, says both men did have sex with Zawieruszynski, but that it was entirely consensual.
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Freddie Douglas, left, stands with attorney Mike Kerensky on Aug. 22 in front of Manvel City Hall. (Fox News)
“Douglas met AZ [Zawieruszynski] for the first time at the home of John Marks.… It was the day before Freddie Douglas’ birthday. He and John Marks had planned to go to a Rockets game that night,” the lawsuit says, adding that Zawieruszynski texted Marks several times to arrange plans for her to meet them at his house after the game.
The lawsuit goes on to say that Zawieruszynski came to the house and the three had a few drinks, but “no one became intoxicated.”
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“At some point, John Marks and AZ started having consensual sex in the pool. After that, AZ wanted to have sex with Freddie Douglas and did. This sexual activity was completely consensual on the part of all involved,” the lawsuit says.
Approximately a month later, the complaint states, Zawieruszynski went to the Manvel Police Department and claimed that the two men had raped her.
Fox News Digital’s efforts to reach Zawieruszynski, who is also named as a defendant in the lawsuit, were unsuccessful.
Douglas worked with the El Campo Police Department, and his chief informed him on Dec. 7 that the MPD were arresting him. According to the complaint, Douglas immediately informed the arresting officers that the footage from inside Marks’ home would exonerate him, but they moved forward with the arrest anyway.
Subsequently, other MPD officers were recorded entering Marks’ home and discussing the footage, but they made no apparent effort to investigate it, the lawsuit claims.
Freddie Douglas and his lawyer delivered the lawsuit to Manvel City Hall. (Fox News)
Footage from Marks’ front door camera obtained by Fox News Digital shows police officers discussing the footage. One said Douglas and Marks had mentioned it during their arrests. Another officer pondered that perhaps Zawieruszynski “did consent.”
Footage shows that an officer noticed the door camera a few minutes later and they moved away, mentioning that it would be recording them.
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“Within minutes of Freddie Douglas’ arrest, the Manvel Police Department knew that there was objective evidence that would determine who was being truthful, AZ or Douglas and Marks,” Douglas’ lawsuit alleges.
The MPD contested the lawsuit’s version of events in a statement to Fox News Digital. MPD Chief Keith Taylor argued that “that there has been misinformation provided to the news outlets from these individuals and their attorneys representing them.”
He said he could not discuss the specifics of the case due to the pending litigation, however. He nevertheless said it was “false” that MPD investigators knowingly disregarded evidence that would have exonerated Marks and Douglas.
Police officers with the Manvel Police Department discuss Freddie Douglas’ case outside John Marks’ home. (Fox News)
“This is a false claim as this evidence was presented to the district attorney’s office and the Grand Jury. This is required by law; all evidence including exculpatory evidence be presented. It will further be shown through the legal process these claims and allegations are false,” Taylor said.
The charges against Douglas and Marks were dropped after Douglas approached the Brazoria County district attorney. The DA’s office says Manvel police never approached them about the case and that if they had, the office would never have recommended charges.
When the MPD pressed on with the case regardless, the DA convened a grand jury. It ultimately threw out the charges.
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Los Angeles, Ca
Pasadena motorist knocked unconscious in unprovoked assault after other driver flashes high beams at him
A motorist was rendered unconscious after what authorities are calling an unprovoked attack that occurred after another driver flashed their high beams at him, authorities say.
According to the Pasadena Police Department, the victim, a 63-year-old man, was driving northbound on Raymond Avenue near Washington Boulevard when a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction flashed him around 1 a.m. Saturday.
“The victim reported that he was driving northbound on Raymond Avenue from Washington Boulevard when he observed a vehicle traveling southbound flashing its high beams at him,” a Pasadena Police Department spokesperson confirmed to KTLA. “The victim stated he stopped his vehicle and exited. He was then assaulted by an unknown suspect. The assault was unprovoked.”
The attack left the man unconscious and with a three-inch deep laceration to his head, police added. Upon regaining consciousness, the man transported himself to Huntington Hospital, and it was around 1:20 a.m. when police responded there to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon and began their investigation.
Upon arriving at the hospital, the victim told police that, due to his injuries, he was not able to provide a description of a suspect, vehicle or the weapon used, nor was he able to tell police the exact location where the assault occurred, although it was confirmed to be somewhere near Raymond Avenue and Washington Boulevard. La Pintoresca Park is located near that intersection.
No further details were immediately available.
Anyone with any information on the incident is asked to contact the Pasadena Police Department right away.
Sofia Pop Perez contributed to this report.
Los Angeles, Ca
Woman killed by driver while crossing PCH in Long Beach
A woman was struck and killed by a driver while crossing the street on Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach.
On June 3, the female pedestrian was using the crosswalk at Pacific Coast Highway and Pacific Avenue around 4:50 a.m.
She had walked against a red light and was hit by a 19-year-old driver in a Chevy sedan, Long Beach police said.
Despite lifesaving efforts, the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver remained at the scene and is cooperating with the investigation.
“At this time, impaired driving, distracted driving and excessive speed are not believed to be a factor in this collision,” police said.
The woman’s name is being withheld pending identification by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
Anyone who witnessed the crash or has information on the incident is asked to call Detective Joseph Johnson at 562-570-7355.
Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.
Los Angeles, Ca
Man wanted for deadly Los Angeles road rage shooting extradited from Mexico
A man wanted for a deadly road rage shooting in Los Angeles was arrested and extradited from Mexico after fleeing the U.S. in 2024.
The suspect was identified as Christian Rojas, 21, of Bellflower, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Authorities had been searching for him since the deadly incident on October 10, 2024.
Rojas and a second suspect, Joshua Rojas Sr., 47, of Downey, were driving on the northbound 5 Freeway in Boyle Heights around 4 p.m. when they became involved in an altercation with another driver that escalated into a shooting.
Video of the tense confrontation showed the suspects, who were driving a Dodge Durango SUV, opening fire on two men in a Cadillac sedan.
The shooting forced the victim to pull over abruptly. That’s when a suspect ran up to the Cadillac, opened the passenger-side door and fired several shots at close range.
In a panic, the Cadillac driver tried to escape by making a sudden U-turn and driving against oncoming traffic. He eventually crashed head-on into several vehicles.
The suspects ditched their SUV and fled toward a freeway exit on foot. The Cadillac driver was left with serious injuries and his passenger was killed. Their identities were not released.
The incident caused a miles-long backup that left thousands of motorists stranded on the freeway for hours and authorities worked to clear the scene.
Following an extensive investigation, detectives identified the two men as the suspects involved.
Joshua Rojas Sr. was arrested in San Bernardino on October 22, 2024, on a murder charge. He remains in custody awaiting trial.
Meanwhile, Christian Rojas had fled the U.S. and was hiding in Mexico, detectives said. A $4.3 million bail warrant was issued for his arrest.
“Through a coordinated international effort, investigators determined that Rojas was living in Palomo de Arriba, Mexico,” CHP officials said. “The U.S. Marshals Service worked with Mexican state police to locate and arrest him on the outstanding warrant.”
On June 2, 2026, Christian was arrested and extradited to the U.S. to face a murder charge.
“This arrest demonstrates that time and distance will not shield violent offenders from justice,” said CHP Southern Division Chief Chris Margaris. “For nearly two years, our detectives remained relentless in their pursuit of those responsible for this senseless act of violence. Through exceptional collaboration with the United States Marshals Service and our law enforcement partners in Mexico, we located and apprehended this suspect and brought him back to face the charges. We remain committed to protecting the public, supporting victims and their families, and holding violent criminals accountable wherever they may try to hide.”
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