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Amtrak Train Crash Philadelphia

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Kim’s Wednesday News & Sports Headlines

It’s a busy Hump Day.

The death toll from the North Philadelphia Amtrak train derailment is now up to six. Crews are searching still this morning for survivors who may be in or under the wreckage.  As of now, at least 140 passengers are injured, some critically, and the NTSB has an investigative team on the way to the scene to determine what caused the train to hop the tracks on the nation’s busiest stretch of railway. Train number 188 was en route from Washington D.C. to New York City. Amtrak has set up an emergency hotline to check on passengers on-board: 1-800-523-9101.

A Wisconsin teenager’s mother is planning to file a civil suit against police over her son’s shooting death. Madison Police Officer Matt Kenny shot and Tony Robinson, 19, two months ago. The district attorney’s office on Tuesday announced it won’t prosecute Kenny. The D.A. says an independent investigation found that Kenny acted lawfully when he shot Robinson. Robinson’s mom, Andrea Irwin, told CNN after the D.A.’s announcement that the department has “gone above and beyond to try to make sure they kick me when I’m down.” Toxicology tests confirmed allegations that her son had been taking hallucinogenic mushrooms, Xanax, and marijuana the day he was killed.

In local news…

Investigators are looking into the cause of an overnight apartment fire that displaced eight people. It ignited just after midnight Wednesday at the Creekwood Apartments on Indy’s northwest side. Damage is estimated at $200,000.

Speaking of destructive flames… A 500 Festival parade float sponsored by The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis was destroyed following a fire at a south side warehouse Tuesday afternoon. An employee at Expo Design, where many of the floats are built, discovered the small fire and shut a door to keep the flames contained. Officials say the building was redesigned with fire walls in 1997 after a fire destroyed ten of 14 parade floats. That float-saving employee was slightly injured.

Police in Lawrence are searching for the driver of an SUV that caused an accident that killed a motorcyclist.  Investigators originally thought Jonathan Macklin lost control of his bike and crashed. However, surveillance video tells a different tale. That video from Sunday night’s tragedy showed Macklin was instead cut-off by a white 2000 to 2006 General Motors SUV. Investigators think that SUV is likely a Chevy Tahoe, Suburban or GMC Yukon. Police ask you to call 317-262-TIPS, if you have any info that may be helpful in their investigation.

We now know the identity of the pedestrian killed by a Perry Township school bus on the Far Southside Tuesday morning. The victim is Timothy Yegerlehner, 43. Witnesses told police the bus was turning on what appeared to be a green arrow when Yegerlehner was hit. Police say the bus driver immediately stopped and called authorities. IMPD is conducting a full investigation.

Two major cell phone providers accused of “mobile cramming” are providing refunds for thousands of Hoosiers. Sprint and Verizon Wireless are paying back an estimated 750,000 people in Indiana for premium text message subscription services that they never requested. The refunds are part of a nationwide settlement of more than $120 million.

If you eat chicken you’ll want to know that Indiana poultry farmers are on edge after the discovery of a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza, also known as “bird flu.” It was confirmed Friday in a backyard flock in Whitley County in northeastern Indiana. Strains of bird flu have taken a toll on poultry farms across the U.S. since first detected late last year. The Board of Animal health says all birds in the Whitley County flock have been euthanized.

Indiana University is suspending junior forward Devin Davis from all team activities because of marijuana possession. Davis received a citation in a dorm room Monday night from IUPD officers answering a call about a marijuana odor. Police say they found a backpack with a baggie filled with a small amount of marijuana. Davis wasn’t handcuffed or arrested at any point.

“Deflategate” has some wider reaching effects for football fans. Prices for tickets to the Colts game against the New England Patriots on October 18th here in Indy at Lucas Oil Stadium are going up. That’s Tom Brady’s first game back after his four-game suspension, if his punishment isn’t reduced on appeal. (Brady is appealing.) Ticket brokers say Monday’s suspension announcement gave ticket prices a pretty good bump. The lowest ticket price on ticket broker website, StubHub, has a face value of $44 but is selling for $105.

Brady, by the way, is hiring a well-known name to handle his appeal. ESPN is reporting that the disgraced champion quarterback has hired Jeffrey Kessler to his legal team. Kessler served as outside counsel to the NFL Player’s Association in 2014 during the appeal of the NFL’s suspension of former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice. Kessler has a winning record. He helped to establish free agency in the NFL 20 years ago.

The NBA Playoffs continued on Tuesday night with the Cavaliers and Rockets picking up wins. Cleveland is up on the Chicago Bulls with a 3-2 series lead that they pulled in with a 106-101 victory in Game Five on their home floor. LeBron James had 38 points, 12 rebounds and six assists for the Cavs, who can close out the semifinal set with a victory in Chicago Thursday night. Meanwhile, out West, the Rockets stayed alive with a 124-103 routing of the Clippers in Houston. LA still holds a 3-2 advantage in the West semifinal series and hosts Game Six also on Thursday. Tonight, the playoffs continue with Atlanta hosting Washington in the East and Golden State hosting Memphis in the West. Both of the respective semifinals are tied at two games apiece.

Indianapolis Weather:

Mainly sunny today. Warmer with a high of 69 degrees.

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