16-year-old girl accused of hacking driver to death

16-year-old girl accused of hacking driver to death

LINCOLNWOOD, Ill.

A 16-year-old girl walked out of a suburban Chicago Walmart holding a machete and knife she’d stolen, climbed into an Uber car and began hacking at the driver, prosecutors said at a hearing Wednesday. The driver died of his wounds Tuesday after giving police a description of the attacker that led to her arrest.

A prosecutor read in court a description of the attack that said Eliza Wasni simply climbed into a car driven by 34-year-old Grant Nelson, and stabbed him and hacked him to death Tuesday morning. The judge ordered the girl, who was charged as an adult with first-degree murder, held without bond.

The two-page description offers no reason for the attack, but portrays Wasni as a calm girl who “nonchalantly” could be seen walking through Walmart, the knives in hand, before she walked outside without paying.

Dogs infected with flu that spread at southern shows

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.

Health officials have now confirmed a dozen cases of H3N2 canine influenza in Florida, where they say the flu was spreading among animals at two dog shows.

Rossana Passaniti of the University of Florida said Wednesday that the dogs testing positive for the flu were either at a Perry, Ga., dog show from May 19 to 21 or the Deland, Fla., dog show the next weekend — or were exposed to dogs that had been at those shows.

She said there have been no dog deaths at UF veterinary hospitals.

There is no evidence that the virus infects people, and all the dogs being treated are in stable condition, according to a news release from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The mortality rate for dog flu is low and most dogs recover at home without any complications.

Students who put noose on black teddy bear identified

RALEIGH, N.C.

Authorities have identified four students who they say hung a black teddy bear from a noose at a North Carolina high school.

The News & Observer of Raleigh reports Wake County schools spokeswoman Lisa Luten said an investigation revealed that the students hung both the teddy bear, which was dressed as Santa Claus, and a sign saying “Make Wakefield Tripp again #smartlunch” from the roof at Wakefield High School in Raleigh.

Students and parents said the sign referred to former principal Tripp Crayton, who is white. Current principal Malik Bazzell, who is black, replaced Crayton in 2015.

Turkish troops die in helicopter crash near Iraq border

ANKARA, Turkey

A Turkish military helicopter crashed Wednesday near Turkey’s border with Iraq, killing all 13 personnel on board, the military said.

The crash occurred in the border province of Sirnak, where Turkish troops are engaged in operations against Kurdish militants.

But a military statement said the crash appeared to be accidental, with initial information indicating that the AS 532 Cougar had hit a high-voltage transmission line shortly after taking off from a base in Sirnak’s Senoba region.

The military didn’t provide information on the victims.

Associated Press