2023
READERS’ CHOICE
Ridge Point steams past Austin at Mercer Stadium - Page 4
281.690.4200 WEDNESDAY • OCTOBER 25, 2023
Man sentenced to 20 years in vehicularpedestrian collision death Staff Reports On October 18, a Fort Bend County jury sentenced Joaquin Adrian Lima to the maximum of 20 years in prison after convicting him of a collision causing death the day before. The 29-year-old Rosenberg man was tried for fleeing the scene of an auto- pedestrian collision that resulted in the death of the pedestrian in 2021, according to a news release from the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office. According to Vehicular Crimes Chief Prosecutor Alison Baimbridge, Lima was driving a Pontiac Vibe northbound in the 14000 block of the I-69 service road the evening of Dec. 20, 2021, when he struck Austin Reese, a pedestrian. Lima fled the scene without rendering aid to Reese and did not call 911. Lima stopped at a nearby Sugar Land gas station to check on his vehicle, according to prosecutors Lima’s car was severely damaged, including significant front-end and windshield damage, loss of the right-side mirror, and back passenger window and fender damage. Lima then continued to his apartment where he was seen on surveillance video further inspecting the damage, phoning a friend, and then moving the vehicle to hide the damage. Meanwhile, Reese died at the scene. In the days that followed, Sugar Land detectives identified the vehicle using identifying numbers on car parts found at the scene and, with the assistance of DPS, located the vehicle with license plate cameras. Samples of glass and paint found on the victim’s body showed positive comparisons to known samples from the Lima’s vehicle. DNA collected from the vehicle also matched the victim’s DNA. Evidence presented at trial showed that Lima told his friends and family that the police were looking for him and not to talk with them if they called. Lima moved out of his apartment, bought a new car and changed his appearance to avoid responsibility. He was located and arrested about 10 days later.
SEE COLLISION PAGE 2
Joaquin Adrian Lima, 29, was sentenced last week to 20 years in prison in the December 2021 auto-pedestrian collision death of Austin Reese. Courtesy Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office
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Early voting in Fort Bend elections continues through Nov. 3 By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Early voting in the November 7 election began Monday at polling locations across Fort Bend County, where voters will consider two county bond propositions for mobility and parks projects, the second Fort Bend Independent School District voter-approved tax rate election (VATRE) in as many years, another VATRE from Stafford Municipal School District, and a bond proposal from Lamar Consolidated School District. Like their counterparts
Turnout was relatively light at the Missouri City City Hall polling location on Monday, the first day of early voting in the Nov. 7 elections. Early voting continues through Nov. 3. Photo by Ken Fountain
statewide, Fort Bend voters will also cast votes in 14 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution. In an off-year election without any big-ticket elected positions on the ballot, turnout is expected to be light, although the bond propositions and tax-rate elections could drive particularly tuned-in voters to the polls. In recent days, the county’s total $865.6 million bond proposals, the largest in the county’s history, has garnered increased activity. The bond propositions consist of 98 mobility projects
for Proposition A for a total of $712.6 million and Proposition B related to parks projects for a total of $153 million. The Taxpayers Coalition, which describes itself as “a grassroots organization focused on financial transparency and accountability in local government,” has issued a series of opinion articles opposing the bonds, claiming that officials have obfuscated the impact the bond issues would have on taxpayers.
SEE ELECTIONS PAGE 2
Dia De Los Muertos
See Page 8 - for more photos from the Sugar Land Dia de los Meurtos Celebration
Young dancers from Grupo Folklorio Mi Barrio perform on the plaza of Sugar Land Town Square. Photo by Ken Fountain
Sugar Land P&Z to discuss Lake Pointe development district on Oct. 26 Staff Reports As the leadership of the City of Sugar Land continues its plans to transform the Lake Pointe area into a mixed-use development, the Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a workshop on Thursday, October 26, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Sugar Land Town Hall, 2700 Town Center Blvd. North. At the meeting. commission members will discuss the proposed Lake Pointe Redevelopment District, a new zoning code to encourage the redevelopment of Lake Pointe Plaza, currently home to the Fluor corporation’s Houston-area headquarters. When Fluor relocates from its existing
campus in mid-2024, they will leave behind a 52-acre redevelopment opportunity for the city. In August, Planned Community Developers, a company with deep roots in Sugar Land, announced plans to transform the site into a modern mixed-used development called Lake Pointe Plaza meant to capitalize on the latest trends in suburban development. At a July 19 combined workshop, the City Council gave direction to focus on a code to support redevelopment in the Lake Pointe Regional Activity Center. The Oct. 26 workshop is a continuation of the P&Z workshop held on September 28 and will focus on the necessary steps to prepare Lake
Pointe Plaza for future redevelopment opportunities, including the adoption of a Development Code update
to establish a new zoning district, rezoning of Lake Pointe Plaza, and revisions to the Land Use Plan.
For more information, visit www.sugarlandtx. gov/LakePointeRedevelopment.
This rendering depicts conceptual plans for Lake Pointe Plaza, a planned multi-use development announced by Planned Community Developers. The Lake Pointe area will be discussed at a Sugar Land Planning & Zoning Commission workshop on Thursday, October 26. Courtesy Gensler