By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

Vandegrift High School was awarded a Lemelson-MIT InvenTeam grant in the amount of $8,900 to create an indoor personal mapping device for the visually impaired. Vandegrift’s all-girl team is one of 15 high schools nationwide to be selected as an InvenTeam this year.

A Vandegrift High School all-girl team of inventors is one of only 15 from high schools nationwide to be selected as an InvenTeam this year.
The team is made up of Monica Phan, Marina Bendele, Katie Frierson, Sahar Rashed, Trudy Bui, Gloria Bui, Adley Greear, Ruchika Mitbander, Avni Shah, Lillie Hammer, Caroline Naples, Sam Trinh, Neha Mulpuri and Sondra Rahmeh.

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By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

One driver was arrested after he fired a 9mm handgun at another car during a road rage incident in Four Points last week. The bullet shattered the passenger side window of Stephen Johnson’s 1999 Lexus. No one was injured but one local mom says she will think twice about rendering aid again at an accident.

Lisa Olsen, her husband, in-laws from Denmark and 8-year-old daughter were heading home to Steiner Ranch after attending the Vandegrift High School homecoming pep rally. They arrived at RM 620 N near Comanche Trail around 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 16 to find that a silver Lexus and a silver Dodge had collided.

Wanting to help, the Olsens turned on their hazard lights and went to check on the people in the accident. They didn’t know the one driver had a gun and had just used it.

Olsen said the driver of the Dodge, later identified as Donathan Harris, 33, was pacing and really upset and saying “I was trying to get in and he wouldn’t let me in… I (expletive) took a shot at him.”

At that point, Olsen didn’t think he was talking about a gun. They tried to check on the driver of the Lexus, later identified as Johnson, 66, but he left his window up.

Picture from the Olsen’s point of view.

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By RICH KEITH, Four Points News

More than 1,400 new students are expected to fill the halls of schools in Four Points over the next decade.

Leander ISD commissioned Population and Survey Analysts Inc. to complete a demographic update. The report released last week both affirms and challenges some long-held beliefs about LISD and Four Points.

LISD grows 29.5 percent in five years

In terms of growth, LISD still is among the fastest-growing districts in the state. Only Lake Travis outstripped LISD’s growth over the last five years. Lake Travis grew 33.7 percent while LISD grew 29.5 percent.

However, the absolute growth of LISD was 6,815 students over the same time period as compared to Lake Travis, which grew only by 2,071 students.

Leander’s absolute growth locally was challenged only by Round Rock ISD, which grew by 4,797 students over the last five years.

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From Roger Wade, Senior Public Information Officer Travis County Sheriff’s Office:

 On October 16, 2013, at 7:24 p.m., Deputies were called to the 5700 Block of FM 620 North, near Comanche Trail, in reference to a man who shot at a car during a “Road Rage” incident.

Deputies arrived to find a Silver Lexus and a Silver Dodge had collided. The driver of the Dodge stated he shot at the other car because he was afraid because the driver of the other vehicle had rammed him repeatedly in a road rage incident and he was defending himself and his family.

No one was injured in the incident however the Lexus was damaged by the gunshot.

Detectives were called to the scene and determined, based on the evidence recovered and witness statements that the Driver of the Dodge, identified as; Donathan Harris, Date of Birth 10-14-1980, of Austin, was the aggressor and fired at the Lexus causing it to hit the Dodge.

Donathan Harris, of Austin, was the aggressor and fired at the Lexus causing it to hit the Dodge.

Harris was arrested and charged with Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, which is a 2nd Degree Felony.

Note: A 2nd Degree Felony is punishable by imprisonment in the Texas Department of Criminal Justin for a term of 2 to 20 years and a fine not to exceed $10,000.00.