Wyzykowski sentenced to 18 years for killing Howards while driving drunk, Other charges pending

By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

Nicholas Wyzykowski

Nicholas Wyzykowski has been sentenced to 18 years in prison after he admitted that he was drunk on Dec. 27, 2013 when he caused the crash that killed Steiner Ranch Elementary kindergarten teacher Peggy Howard and her son Cale, a Vandegrift High School senior.

Wyzykowski, 22, pleaded guilty Thursday to two counts of intoxication manslaughter and five counts of intoxication assault.

The accident on RM 620 N. in Four Points also sent five others to hospitals with injuries including broken backs, broken ribs, a broken neck, a broken femur and a punctured lung.

The former University of Alabama student was initially charged with 19 felonies following the incident. Other felonies in this case are pending and Wyzykowski’s next court date is Nov. 21, said Linda Estrada, Travis County court clerk.

According to court documents, Wyzykowski must serve half of his punishment before he is eligible for parole review. Once he is released, he will be placed on probation for 10 years. Continue reading →

November 5 2014 Issue

VHS earns gold medal from U.S. News and World Report

By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

Vandegrift High School was one of only four Central Texas high schools to receive a gold medal as one of the Best High Schools in Texas based on the 2014 U.S. News and World Report.

VHS was ranked the 41st best high school in the state and 347th best in the nation. Rankings are determined by a number of factors including reading and geometry proficiency, overall student performance, disadvantaged student performance, college readiness and Advanced Placement student performance.

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Two stabbed at Steiner Ranch Steakhouse, suspect also injured

Updated 2pm

By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

The Travis County Sheriff’s office is investigating a double stabbing that happened this morning at Steiner Ranch Steakhouse.

Two people were stabbed at the restaurant at 5424 Steienr Ranch Blvd. just after 1 a.m. on October 31.

The victims were taken to St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center.

“One was stabbed in the abdomen and the other in the chest. One was in surgery this morning and is expected to live. The other is in stable condition,” said Lisa Block, spokesperson with TCSO.

The suspect was also injured and was taken to Lakeway Regional Medical Center. “The wounds were not extremely serious,” Block said.

As of 9:30 this morning, charges have yet to be filed but charges will most likely be two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Names have not been released yet. A Facebook post mentioned that these were not employees of the steakhouse.

TCSO Major Crimes is investigating the case.

Rainy fall adds 2 feet to Lake Travis, Wetter pattern to continue

By SARAH DOOLITTLE, Four Points News

September rains added two feet to Lake Travis, bringing it to 35 percent of capacity, though still 40 feet below average.

Current combined water storage in Lakes Buchanan and Travis is 702,117 acre feet of water. An acre foot is equivalent to the amount of water standing one foot deep on a acre of land.

So far this year, the Lower Colorado River Authority, which manages water in the Lower Colorado lakes chain, has avoided having to issue a Drought Worse Than the Drought of Record Declaration. This would happen were combined storage levels to drop below 600,000 acre feet, the historic low experienced in the 1950s.

Furthermore, meteorologists are still predicting a “wetter pattern” to develop sometime in November.

Bob Rose, LCRA chief meteorologist, states this should be accompanied by, “above normal rainfall continuing into early spring… This pattern should bring our region frequent cloudy, rainy days during late fall and winter.”

Continue reading →