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Wife of Army soldier detained in Russia previously retained divorce lawyer, not aware of his travels: attorney

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Wife of Army soldier detained in Russia previously retained divorce lawyer, not aware of his travels: attorney

The wife of a U.S. Army soldier being detained in Russia while visiting a girlfriend retained a divorce lawyer in 2022, and was not aware of his travels, her lawyer said Thursday. 

Staff Sgt. Gordon Black, 34, an infantry soldier, was detained in the Russian port city of Vladivostok on May 2. He was charged with criminal misconduct and is accused of stealing from his longtime girlfriend.

The regional branch of the Russian Interior Ministry said in a statement Tuesday that Black and his girlfriend had a conflict, and she reported him to the police, claiming that she found cash missing after he stayed with her, The Associated Press reported.

EVAN GERSHKOVICH MARKS ONE YEAR IMPRISONED IN RUSSIA AS FRIENDS CAN ONLY WAIT FOR ‘NIGHTMARE’ TO END

Gordon Black, a U.S. Army serviceman detained in Russia, poses for a selfie in this picture obtained from social media, in an unspecified location.   (Gordon Black via Facebook/Reuters)

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Black, who had out-processed from his duty station in South Korea, was supposed to fly back to the U.S. to report to Fort Cavazos, Texas.

“Megan Black wishes to make clear that she had no advance knowledge of Mr. Black’s intentions to travel to Russia,” her attorney, Brett Pritchard, said in a statement. 

She became aware of her husband being absent from Fort Cavaszos when Army investigators reached out to her about his whereabouts, Pritchard said. 

Gordon Black’s mother, Melody Jones, said she believes her son was set up. She said her son’s relationship with the Russian woman was “volatile,” and that she suspected the longtime girlfriend might be a spy.

“I knew something was going to happen,” Jones told “GMA.” “I felt like he was being set up by her.”

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U.S. Army soldier Gordon Black sends a holiday message from Iraq in 2009. His wife says she was not aware of his recent travel to Russia and had hired a divorce lawyer in July 2022 to begin efforts to dissolve the marriage, her attorney said Thursday.  (U.S. Dept. of Defense)

Black’s wife believes his decision to go to Russia, at a time when relations between Washington and Moscow are severely strained, was “ill-advised” but was motivated by “entirely personal reasons involving an extra-marital affair between himself and a Russian national, and that Mr. Black is not involved in any form of geopolitical intrigue.”

Pritchard confirmed that Megan Black retained his services in July 2022 to initiate divorce proceedings after nine years of marriage to her husband. The couple share a 6-year-old daughter, he said. 

The pair have known each other since 2014 and got married in Belton, Texas, a suburb near the Army installation, after Black was assigned there, Pritchard said. 

The Russian port city of Vladivostok. It is where U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Gordon Black was detained last Thursday. (Natalia Kolesnikova / AFP via Getty Images)

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Megan Black hopes her husband returns to the U.S. safely as soon as possible, Pritchard said. His arrest has put a strain on their daughter, “who has to deal with the dual uncertainty of not knowing when she will see or hear from her father again.”

Meanwhile, the divorce proceedings remain “in limbo by a Texas family law court pending a potentially indefinite resolution of Mr. Black’s incarceration status,” Pritchard said. 

Fox News Digital’s Pilar Arias contributed to this report. 

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Los Angeles, Ca

Woman killed by driver while crossing PCH in Long Beach

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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.

A woman was struck and killed by a driver while crossing Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach on June 3, 2026. (Long Beach Police Department)

“At this time, impaired driving, distracted driving and excessive speed are not believed to be a factor in this collision,” police said.

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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.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Man wanted for deadly Los Angeles road rage shooting extradited from Mexico

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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 obtained exclusively by KTLA shows the terrifying moment a road rage suspect opened fire the driver of another car on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles, fatally wounding him and seriously injuring a passenger, on Oct. 10, 2024. (Credit: @hugoboss01)
  • Video obtained exclusively by KTLA shows the terrifying moment a road rage suspect opened fire the driver of another car on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles, fatally wounding him and seriously injuring a passenger, on Oct. 10, 2024. (Credit: @hugoboss01)
  • Video obtained exclusively by KTLA shows the terrifying moment a road rage suspect opened fire the driver of another car on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles, fatally wounding him and seriously injuring a passenger, on Oct. 10, 2024. (Credit: @hugoboss01)
  • Video obtained exclusively by KTLA shows the terrifying moment a road rage suspect opened fire the driver of another car on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles, fatally wounding him and seriously injuring a passenger, on Oct. 10, 2024. (Credit: @hugoboss01)
  • Christian Rojas, 21, of Bellflower, was arrested and extradited to the U.S. from Mexico on June 2, 2026, in connection with a deadly road rage shooting in Los Angeles. (California Highway Patrol)

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.

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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.

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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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Los Angeles, Ca

NB 405 Freeway closed near LAX after pursuit ends in gunfire

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NB 405 Freeway closed near LAX after pursuit ends in gunfire

The northbound 405 Freeway will remain closed for several hours near Los Angeles International Airport after a police pursuit ended with officers opening fire Friday morning. Unconfirmed reports indicated the incident began with a robbery at a 7-Eleven store, which ended with Los Angeles Police Department officers pursuing the suspect in a Kia. The chase […]

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