Corpus Christi Caller-Times from Corpus Christi, Texas • 13

BEST AVAILABLE COPY SECTION BrashworkB2 0bltuarlesB7 WeatherB8 Metro Editor Scott Rothschild 888-3683 Designer Loyd Brumfield 886-3600 Local Garcia sentenced A 20-year-old Sinton man to seven years in prison Friday in the murder of a man he suspected of having an affair with his wife B7 CopyritfX 0 19M Ctfar-TkiiM PuMMang Company Saturday November 2 1996 nx'ietimn'HijWSiiiB nerwm imsnr'm f'liwro whfcfefefe -arfwAjuiwak4is ifefefciRfckPiftr ir fisiahfoiWii Mistrial declared in reverse drive-by shooting Saturday Briefing Jurors deadlock 10-2 for conviction in shooting of car passenger offered their condolences to Adrian Rodriguez's family sorry about what happened but if they were in 'our shoes 1 think they would have done the same Wally Rodriguez saidThe victim's family could not be reached for comment One juror who declined to give his name said that while he favored convicting Wally Rodriguez three people early Friday were voting to acquit him But at about 11 am when jurors sent out the note that they were deadlocked the vote had changed to 10 to 2 in favor of a conviction very disappointed I think we should have deliberated the juror said don't think it should have been a One juror said he was disappoint- ed that the judge declared a mistrial Defendant Guadalupe Wally Rodriguez said he acted in self-defense Prosecutor said he is asking to retry the case in December By Christine Lale CiUer-nma A judge on Friday declared a mistrial in the murder trial of a Corpus Christi man accused in the fatal shooting of 16-year-old Adrian Rodriguez as Adrian drove by the house Jurors said in a note to 319th District Court Judge Max Bennett they were deadlocked 10 to 2 in favor of convicting Guadalupe Rodriguez 20 in the June 1995 shooting Bennett declared a mistrial an hour later when the jury foreman said jurors would not be able to reach a verdict if they continued deliberations The jury had deliberated more than eight hours over two days Assistant District Attorney James Sales said he was asking that the case be re-tried as soon as possible which is in December Sales declined to comment further because the case is still pending Wally Rodriguez who is not related to Adrian was arrested shortly after Adrian was shot in the head June 14 1995 Adrian was a passenger in a car that was the target of a shotgun barrage as it passed a house in the 4800 block of Dodd Drive near the intersection of Ayers Street and McArdle Road Adrian was struck in the head by a 12-gauge blast and was pronounced dead at the scene when officers arrived Police said that the two did not know each other and that Adrian may have been mistaken for a rival gang member Adrian was not in a gang police said but has friends who are gang members Wally Rodriguez said Friday that he was no longer in a gang at the time of the shooting and that he still today He shrugged when asked how he felt about the mistrial all he said criticizing police for their handling of the case He said that the only reason he was charged with murder was because he was a former gang member and because of his age just points toward Wally Rodriguez shot and I shot Wally Rodriguez said he fired at the car in which Adrian was riding because the car had passed two times and on the third time fired several shots father Guadalupe Rodriguez Jr said his family 1 50 yean ago: Most of Corpus Chris ti was without electricity for -12 to 27 minutes when a transmission line failed and a boiler at the Nueces Bay power station broke 25 yean ago: Six Korean grain production officials visited Corpus Christi as part of a nationwide tour to inspect wheat marketing facilities i Daughter wife plead innocent in death The daughter and wife of a slain Corpus Christi police officer pleaded innocent to murder Friday in connection with the March 1995 death Evie Aguilar22and her step-' mother Nilda Aguilar 41 were arraigned Friday in the 347th I District Court on charges that they killed Set Juan Aguilar Juan Aguilar 41 was shot in the head March 101995 with a high-powered rifle at close range His wife told police she found his body in his bed the next morning Bee County College phones may be cut on Monday Southwestern Bell Telephone Ce representatives warn that Bee County College telephones will be on and off Monday as the system is converted to digital service The new system will allow BCC callers to add the 354 pre- fix to BCC extension numbers to dial those phones directly However BCC will retain its mam number 358-3130 for those who want to place calls through the automated attendant or the switchboard operator college official said 'i Voters cast 34991 early ballots Lack of enthusiasm hampering turnout In 1992 217 percent of the voters cast early ballots The secretary of state predicts a 585 percent turnout statewide The Nueces County clerk believes at least 65 percent of local voters will cast ballots By Libby Avekyt and Mary Lee Grant Calki-Thnes About 19 percent of Nueces County's registered voters cast ballots in early voting during the past two weeks County Gerk Ernest Briones said Friday In all 34991 votes were cast or 192 percent of the 182647 registered voters That is a decrease from the 21 7 percent of registered voters who voted early in 1992 the last presidential election year But the turnout was encouraging considering the lack of enthusiasm over this presidential campaign Briones said pretty Briones said of the turnout was a tremendous In all 5089 people cast ballots on the last day of early voting he said On Tuesday Americans will elect dozens of office holders ranging from the president to local consta-' bles Election officials and political scientists say voters don't seem to have much enthusiasm this election season in part because polls have consistently shown Bill Ginton leading Bob Dole During presidential election years usually that race that drives voter turnout have not seen any excitement in the presidential race or the Senate race and been no mud-slinging this said Bob Bezdek political science professor at Texas University-Corpus Christi a really boring Briones said a recent survey conducted by Texas University-Corpus Christi students seems to have generated some last-minute interest in the election The telephone survey showed the race for sheriff and 28th District Court judge as too close to call realize it was that Briones said apparently surprised some people The election seems to be a little more Still Briones expects this overall turnout to be lower than in 1992 when 71 percent of the voters cast ballots predicting that 65 percent of registered voters will turn out this year Bezdek said it may be difficult for local candidates to overcome the lack of voter interest in the presi- PImm Mt V0TTEB2 David AdwnaCaltof-TimM Presidential performance James Meredith (left) Mary Griffin (center) and Tammy Walker of Child's Play Touring Theatre perform a scene from their show 'Kids for President1 Friday morning in Richardson Auditorium at Del Mar College The production showcases the responses of more than 5000 children who were asked would you (to if you were President?" VW Water Watch Corpus Christi water usage Oct 1 31: -1995 2254030 miWon gallons $96 1949101 miHlon pultons 15828 lower than last year Pilots eject from Navy T-45 jet Crew treated for minor injuries after crash at NAS Kingsville T-45 Goshawk Jet I Prim contractor: McDonnell Reservoir system level Combined system level 296 of total capacity Lake Corpus Christi t) Max capacity: 94 feet 855 tset unchanged Choke Canyon Reservoir Max capecay: 220:5 feet 192 feet A unchanged Corpus Christi rainfall Laet significant rain: 24" Oct 24 Forecast: The Notional Weather Service predicts no chance of rain today or Sunday on a routine night flying mission officials said They appeared to be coming in for a touch-and-go landing during the nighttraining flight officials said The cause of the accident has not yet been determined but an investigation will be launched Malinowski said he was not sure if the base will shut down all flights today as a result of the accident It was not known whether the accident was related to high winds in the area Friday that followed the onset of a cold front The last crash of a T-45 at NAS Kingsvillle took place Aug 17 1994 when two jets collided during a formation training maneuver in Starr County One student pilot died in that crash and another ejected safely By Mary Lee Grant CillerTUna A Navy training jet crashed Friday night at Naval Air Station Kingsville but resulted in only minor injuries to an instructor and student pilot the base's public affairs officer said The instructor and student pilot who were not identified ejected from the T-45 Goshawk training jet seconds before it hit the ground at 6:45 pm public affairs officer Mike Malinowski said The instructor and student pilpt were being treated late Friday night at NAS Kingsville medical facilities The jet part of Training Squadron 22 crashed in a grassy field at the south end of the base near a runway The student pilot and instructor were Douglas Corp Principal subcontractor: British Aerospace Powerplant: Rolls-F F405-RR-401 Adour Mk871 producing 5845 pounds of thrust Length: 39 feet Height: 14 feet Wingspan: 30 feet 10 inches First flight: April 16 1988 Crew: Two Fuel capacity: 2893 pounds Sourcw Naval Air Station KingavWa Water restrictions When your lawn tanti watering will be allowed '--only every 14 days before 10 am and after 6 pm John BnmlCwMK Petrusaitis Zapata battle for Aransas County sheriff seat Challenger wants to merge 911 services incumbent vows to stop youth crime Petrusaitis proposed better services for senior citizens Zapata wants an anti-drug program in Aransas County schools The Aransas County Department patrols 244 square miles Henry wants what I want -a crime-free county be it Corpus Christi or Rockport" Zapata said Henry said he was not seeking more business by contributing to Zapata have an interest in that county because I represent a lot of people from that Henry said philosophy has been that I not only represent a lot of people but I support their communities Even though I live in that community I think supporting a man who is good for that county is also supporting my clients because I don't live there doesn't mean I don't care about the type of law enforcement that is provided in those Zapata said he would not give i PIssm Mi ARANSASK Because the two candidates work in the same building the race has prompted a stir in the department caused problems for Petrusaitis said say if it's a lot (But) caused bad Someone scribbled over a photo of Zapata on a wall for instance Petrusaitis said childish stuff gone the sheriff said Petrusaitis says he believes most employees want him re-elected Zapata says the opposite Petrusaitis has been sheriff since January 1993 Zapata was hired in 1985 by a previous sheriff Bob Hewes In an interview Petrusaitis criticized Zapata for accepting $12000 in campaign contributions from Henry Petrusaitis said he considers it unethical for Zapata to take so much money from a personal injury attorney and one who lives outside Aransas County at that Petrusaitis said Henry's business could benefit from election by gaining greater access to traffic accident information from the sheriffs department looks like to me Mr Henry is buying himself a Petrusaitis said Zapata said he did nothing illegal by accepting the money because he is running against Petrusaitis Petrusaitis and Zapata have denied each accusations The attorney Thomas Henry has denied trying to win a business advantage by contributing to Zapata's campaign Petrusaitis and Zapata are battling for control of a 43-employee derailment that provides law enforcement to a growing county that had a population of 12376 in the 1990 census not including the cities of Rockport and Fulton according to the county office The sheriff's department patrols 244 square miles of the county JO Watering of other vegetation -ouch as flower beds shrubs and trees wifi be permitted only on -even-numbered days tor residences or businesses with even-numbered street addressee -end on odd numbered-daytfer premises with odd-numbered street addressee By Dan Parker CaUer-Tlmes ROCKPORT Charge: Aransas County Sheriff David Petrusaitis says his opponent Sam Zapata is unethical for accepting large campaign contributions from a personal injury attorney from Corpus Christi Counter charge: Zapata a deputy says he has been transferred from day shift to night shift tou can wash your car only bucket or at a conyerrial VpS S3 ieje CaSar-Tlmss.