2018 most-read KSAT stories: Newlywed helicopter crash; Shark theft, MAGA hat fight

Telenovela star's arrest also made headlines

SAN ANTONIO – From a tragic helicopter crash to the arrest of a high-profile telenovela star and a bizarre shark theft, here are some of the most-read stories of 2018 on KSAT.com.

Newlyweds killed in helicopter crash

A day of joy and happiness ended in tragedy for a newlywed couple. Will and Bailee Byler died on the morning of Nov. 5 in a helicopter crash in Uvalde.

The crash occurred hours after they had left their wedding ceremony. The pilot, identified as Gerald Lawrence, was also killed in the crash.

Texas Game Wardens said the couple were bound for the San Antonio airport to go on their honeymoon. Investigators said the helicopter crashed into the side of a hill.

Alleged gang members target rapper

A video posted on social media in February caught the attention of San Antonio police and led to the arrests of three men.

The men were suspected of being members of a local gang network and threatened a rapper over his scheduled performance at a San Antonio bar. 

The trio were arrested at the San Antonio airport on the same day the rapper was set to perform. They were caught circling the airport in an attempt to catch the rapper.

One of the men was arrested on a terroristic threat charge. The rapper performed that night without incident, according to posts on social media.

MAGA hat fight at Whataburger

A story that got national attention happened at a San Antonio Whataburger.

Kino Jimenez was caught on video July 4 throwing a soft drink on a teenager and then taking his Make America Great Again hat.

According to an arrest affidavit, Jimenez walked up to a 16-year-old boy who was eating with his friends and asked him why he was wearing a MAGA hat.

When the teen responded he was wearing it to support President Donald Trump, Jimenez threw a drink at him and ripped the hat from his head, the affidavit said.

Jimenez was arrested because of the incident. The video went viral and discussed across the country, with Donald Trump Jr. tweeting about it.

Shark disguised as baby stolen from San Antonio aquarium

Another San Antonio story that made national headlines was the theft of a shark from a local aquarium. 

The shark, named Miss Helen, was stolen from the aquarium in August.

Three people were caught on surveillance video stealing the 16-inch horn shark and disguising it as a baby and then putting it in a stroller before they left the aquarium.

The shark was returned two days later and reportedly was healthy.

Officials arrested Anthony Shannon, 38, for allegedly stealing the shark from the aquarium.

Mexican Telenovela star arrested, then sues company

A Mexican telenovela star made headlines when she was arrested in late September after she was accused of stealing from a Saks Fifth Avenue store at The Rim Shopping Center.

A loss prevention officer told police he saw Danielle Arellano place items in her purse and make no attempt to pay for them.

Two months later, the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office dropped the charges, ruling there was "no probable cause for (Arellano's) arrest" and lack of evidence.

Arrellano filed a lawsuit against the company.


About the Author:

RJ Marquez is the traffic anchor/reporter for KSAT’s Good Morning San Antonio. He also fills in as a news anchor and has covered stories from breaking news and Fiesta to Spurs championships and high school sports. RJ started at KSAT in 2010. He is proud to serve our viewers and be a part of the culture and community that makes San Antonio great.