FOX 26 Digital News Brief for Oct. 16, 2018

Major flooding is forcing communities across Central Texas to evacuate. The Llano River took out a bridge in Kingsland on Tuesday morning. Both the Llano and Colorado rivers are overflowing after heavy rains, causing homes to flood and leading to numerous water rescues.

The southbound lanes of the Southwest Freeway are open once again near the Westpark Drive exit after a car crashed into the back of an 18-wheeler near the Harwin Drive exit, killing one person. The crash shut down the freeway for hours.

The jury trial in the murder of Anne Christine Johnson from League City was scheduled to start this week. It has now been delayed. Johnson’s ex-husband, Shaun Hardy, is accused of killing her almost two years ago. Johnson’s mother spoke exclusively to FOX 26 News.

Mayor Sylvester Turner’s former press secretary Darian Ward entered a plea deal in court on Tuesday and issued an apology. Ward pled guilty to one count of abuse of power after running her own side business using government equipment during work hours.

The Crosby Indpendent School District confirmed more layoffs one week after declaring a state of financial emergency. The board of trustees approved the recommendation to lay off 33 district employees.

A second debate between incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Ted Cruz and his opponent, Democratic Congressman Beto O’Rourke, takes place in San Antonio on Tuesday.