Texas DPS has launched a two‑year Rapid DNA pilot at booking stations to speed DNA matches for violent crimes and will report findings to the Legislature by Jan. 1, 2028.

A 34-year-old man was arrested after police say he struck a pedestrian on Menchaca Road in south Austin. The injured person was hospitalized and the driver faces DWI and weapons charges.

Austin police asked Wednesday for help finding Joe Louis Cheatham, 36, wanted on a sexual assault warrant. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Capital Area Crime Stoppers.

A Kyle traffic stop on I‑35 led deputies to seize about 25 kilograms of cocaine, officials say.

Airport staff found a phone lens under a stall at Austin‑Bergstrom; police arrested a 35‑year‑old who faces a state‑jail‑felony invasive visual recording charge.

Authorities say Jenkins was arrested in Sacramento and extradited to Travis County after the October shooting at a Rutland Drive 7‑Eleven. Police say the case remains under active investigation.

DEA McAllen and federal partners recovered more than 1,600 pounds of crystal meth hidden inside a berry shipment during a Homeland Security Task Force operation.

A person was killed in a hit-and-run on South Congress Avenue near William Cannon Drive; police say the driver fled and investigators closed lanes while they collected evidence.

Abbott ordered DPS to boost patrols and specialized units after violent reprisals in Mexico; travelers were urged to follow State Department guidance.

Grass fires along State Highway 130 near Pflugerville created smoke and slowed traffic; firefighters urged motorists to slow down and avoid the corridor while crews work.

An early-morning shooting near Del Valle High left one person critically injured while Austin police search for a suspect. Investigators say the gunfire likely happened off campus.

Sweetwater leaders say a Nolan County grand jury indicted four in connection with massive piles of discarded wind turbine blades; the state has also sued the recycler.

A Valentine’s Day welfare check in South Austin turned up two deaths; Austin police say preliminary findings point to a suspected murder‑suicide involving a Texas AG staffer.