Southwest
Texas police department to introduce autonomous drone pilot program: 'An eye in the sky'
A police department in Texas may soon be using drones to respond to emergency calls, according to Police Chief Brian Jones.
The Bee Cave Police Department offered a demonstration of their autonomous drone system on Friday morning, known as “AV8.”
The demonstration was part of a pilot project to test the AV8, which also consists of a computer system to keep drones on-target. Both are built by eve Vehicles, which is a start-up based in Austin.
GREEN DAY RUSHED OFFSTAGE DURING CONCERT DUE TO UNAUTHORIZED DRONE: POLICE
“Well, it’s a force multiplier for us, really, because it serves as an eye in the sky and gives us real-time information before an officer even arrives at the location,” said Bee Cave Chief of Police Brian Jones to FOX 7 Austin.
“We’ve gone through several generations,” said eve Vehicles co-founder and CEO Roger Pecina to FOX 7 Austin. “We’ve been working on this specific concept for about two years.”
Batteries for the drones, which are stored onboard, offer around 40 minutes’ flight time.
The autonomous AV8 drones are governed by a computer system created by eve Vehicles in Austin, Texas. (KVUE)
“And when that drone’s battery is running low, it’ll actually call another drone in the network. They’ll come and replace it,” said Pecina to FOX 7 Austin. “And then this one goes to the closest nest to recharge its battery.”
Routes for the drones are pre-programmed along local roads and highways to reach dispatch locations for emergency calls in the pilot program.
“So, the idea is that once they have the address, they do plug it into AV8 that does all of the calculation to see which drone is close to that call and autonomously leaves, and it goes to the scene without a pilot. It arrives when it’s on scene that’s when the pilot takes control and can move the drone around to get like better views of exactly what’s being developed,” said Pecina to FOX 7 Austin.
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From there, video is transmitted directly from the drone back to dispatch, where feed is sent to Bee Cave Police patrol cars and smartphones in real-time.
The AV8 system’s first deployment may take place as soon as next week on limited emergency calls in Bee Cave, which is a suburb of Austin. However, the entire system is not expected to deploy for another month or two.
A future plan is already in the works with eve Vehicles to create a night vision option for the AV8 drones as well as a parachute safety system. The drones are launched from “Nests,” which are open-air platforms.
Bee Cave Police announced a partnership with eve Vehicles in Austin to launch an autonomous drone program for emergency calls. (KVUE)
Three launch sites, including two local schools, were chosen for the Bee Cave AV8 pilot program. The schools were selected before last Wednesday’s mass shooting at Georgia’s Apalachee High School.
“Say, for instance, the example that you use the school shooter in Georgia, heaven forbid, something like that, were to happen here,” said Police Chief Brian Jones to FOX 7 Austin. “And we had the capabilities, this drone technology capability, we would have that information before the officers even arrive at the scene, so we can better prepare to engage a suspect.”
“We could possibly know their location before the officers arrive, and we could better respond to that situation and possibly save lives,” said Chief Jones to FOX 7 Austin.
There is no official start date for the Bee Cave AV8 pilot program.
The Bee Cave Police Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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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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