What'd you miss? Top stories this week on Click2Houston.com

Pilot survives crash landing; Woman's beating caught on video

HOUSTON – It was another busy week in the Houston area as summer officially kicked off.

Here are some of the top stories on Click2Houston.com this week:

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Woman in brutal beating: I want justice

A Houston woman who was pulverized by a mob of angry men and women, some of whom recorded the beating, has been released from the hospital.

Channel 2 Investigates obtained a copy of a video clip that appears to show Heleanor Swanson, 33, fighting for her life.

"I just recently watched it and when I watch it, it makes me cry," Swanson told KPRC 2.

Swanson wants police to press charges against the men and women who were involved in the fight.

The Houston Police Department is investigating the case, but has not made any arrests as of Friday.

Tap or click here to read more.


Pilot survives crash landing

A plane crash-landed onto the roof of a warehouse Sunday night in southeast Houston.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, a single-engine Piper PA - 24 plane hit the Macy’s Distribution Center on Ernestine Street about five miles northwest of Hobby Airport around 11:45 p.m.

"I was watching it, and I just seen it like struggle," witness Jonathan Siguenza said.

The 52-year-old pilot was flying in from St. Louis when his plane lost power right before the crash, according to FAA officials. The plane clipped the side of the building before landing safely on top, FAA officials said.

Tap or click here to read more and hear the air traffic controller conversation.


Scammers call man claiming to have wife hostage

A West Houston couple has a warning for others after they were targeted by scammers claiming one of them had been taken hostage.

The couple, who do not want to be identified, say last Wednesday the husband received a call on his cellphone.

"He said 'I'm with EMS. Your wife has been critically injured in an accident. Can you confirm she drives (a) Toyota Landcruiser?" the husband said.

From there the caller's story took several strange turns.

"It evolves into, 'We have your wife. Do not hang up. Do not call police,'" the husband said.

Read more here.


Boy says man touched him in Target bathroom

A 9-year-old boy told police a man entered his bathroom stall at Target and touched him inappropriately. The boy ran out of the restroom and hid under a water fountain near the restrooms until his mother came out of the women's restroom. He then told her what happened.

"And he touched my son as well in the restroom and then he told my son to just act like it never happened. And then my son just immediately ran out the restroom and hid underneath the water fountain, put his head down, until me and his siblings came out of the women's restroom," the mother said.

The mother said she believes they were followed inside the store.

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Woman claims Uber driver raped her

A young wife and mother from Jersey Village hoped to make this past Saturday night an evening she would never forget. She will never forget that night, but for all the wrong reasons.

Early Sunday morning, after bar-hopping all night, Paula called her husband saying she needed a ride home.

Her husband requested an Uber car pick her up. But instead of getting a ride home, Paula said she fell asleep inside the Uber car right after getting inside, and when she woke up she alleges the driver was on top of her raping her with his hand.

“When I woke up, his hand was inside of my body and his mouth was on my neck kissing me. Like my neck was really wet all over and all around,” Paula said, with her hands trembling.

Read more here.


Trespassing charges dismissed for Lakewood Church hecklers

The attorney representing several members of the controversial Church of Wells told Channel 2 Investigates charges are being dismissed against the two remaining members.

Six men were charged with trespassing and disrupting services at Lakewood Church. On Wednesday, trespassing charges were dismissed against four members of the church and jury found them not guilty of disrupting a public meeting.

At the time of that trial, Jacob Gardner and Richard Trudeau were in New York state attending another court hearing. Jon Stephenson, attorney for the two men, said he was informed Friday by the Harris County District Attorney's Office the charges against Gardner and Trudeau were being dismissed.

Read more here.


13-foot-long gator found dead in Jamaica Beach

When a gigantic gator was spotted off the shore in Jamaica Beach this weekend it quickly got the attention of everyone in the area.

"When we see a crowd of people, being nosy people we walked down there, and that's when we realized it's an alligator," Hedspeth said.

The gator measured nearly 13 feet long. It turned out he was dead, which Hedspeth says was a blessing considering there were so many people in the water.

"If that thing would have woke up, we was like, maybe he (was) playing 'possum?" Hedspeth said.

Tap or click here to read more.


Man falls down elevator shaft at GRB

A construction worker fell down an elevator shaft Wednesday at the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston, firefighters say.

According to KPRC 2's Brandon Walker, who was on the scene, the fall happened in an area where renovations are taking place.

Firefighters said Tobey Felts fell from the third floor and landed in the basement. He suffered a broken leg and was taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital.

Read more here.


Woman sues Starbucks, claims she was burned by coffee

A Houston attorney is suing Starbucks and a barista, claiming she was severely burned on multiple parts of her body by hot coffee.

According to the lawsuit, Katherine Mize was buying coffee for herself and colleagues at the Starbucks at 445 North Loop West on July 13, 2014.

Mize went to the drive-thru window in her vehicle to get her order. The barista, identified in the lawsuit as Brie, handed Mize a 20-ounce cup of coffee. Mize alleges that Brie squeezed the cup when she handed it to her, causing the top to come off.

Read more here.


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