A tragic hit-and-run incident in Charlotte has claimed the life of a 23-year-old woman, with authorities pointing to a repeat offender as the suspect. Police have identified the alleged perpetrator as Thomas Haynes, 46, who was taken into custody on Monday.

Haynes faces numerous charges, including second-degree murder, felony hit-and-run causing serious injury or death, and multiple misdemeanors related to hit-and-run and reckless driving.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department reported that officers responded to a scene involving an abandoned Honda Odyssey and a Kia Soul at an intersection in east Charlotte on Thursday, March 12. According to police, Haynes, the driver of the Honda, allegedly fled the scene on foot following the collision.

The victim, identified as Sophie Klippel, tragically lost her life in the incident. The community is now grappling with this senseless loss, as Haynes awaits further legal proceedings.

Thomas Haynes, 46, faces second-degree murder charges after allegedly striking and killing 23-year-old Sophie Klippel in a Charlotte hit-and-run crash, police say. (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department)

Authorities say that the driver of the Kia, Lena Klippel, 21, and passenger Kelly Klippel, 62, were transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

A second passenger, Sophie Klippel, 23, was pronounced deceased on the scene.

Thomas Haynes was charged in a deadly crash in Charlotte. (iStock)

Police said that a preliminary investigation found that Haynes ran a stop sign and collided with the Kia Soul.

Sophie Klippel was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said that “speed appears to be a factor” in the crash.

A Charlotte-Mecklenburg man with a history of repeat theft and weapons offenses is now facing a new set of felony charges, including a hit-and-run involving serious injury or death, according to jail records. (Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department)

Before the crash, Haynes had a slew of other arrests from 2024 through 2025, according to records reviewed by Fox News Digital.

Earlier charges in February 2026 included possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a stolen firearm, felony possession of cocaine, and obtaining property by false pretenses.

A January 2026 arrest shows more than 20 charges largely tied to organized theft activity, including multiple counts of felony larceny, conspiracy, possession of burglary tools, and fleeing to elude arrest.

His record also includes a 2024 charge of assault on a female.

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It appears that the United Kingdom is on the verge of abandoning its Jewish community, particularly at the hands of the British left.

Antisemitic acts have been on the rise, culminating recently in a significant incident where four ambulances were set ablaze in Golders Green, a prominent Jewish neighborhood in London.

The police have classified the arson of these ambulances, which were part of the Hatzolah volunteer emergency squad, as a likely hate crime.

Anti-Jewish sentiment has become disturbingly common in Britain, largely fueled by a growing Muslim demographic. Unfortunately, the Labour Party has shown limited resolve, offering only minimal expressions of concern as they prioritize the Muslim vote to secure electoral victories.

The Conservative Party has also faltered, as demonstrated by their handling of the notorious “grooming gangs” scandals—instances of sexual exploitation that were allowed to persist for years under their governance.

But Labour’s antisemitism problem is far worse; it’s festered for years.

Yes, the party has expelled hundreds of members for open bigotry — but it still appeals discreetly to the antisemitic vote.

Feckless Prime Minister Keir Starmer has built a “two-tier” system of justice that fiercely prosecutes anything approaching right-wing expressions of prejudice — e.g., questioning on social media why recent “migrants” get priority in housing — while excusing or ignoring actual acts of open bigotry from the Muslim left.

Muslim extremism is responsible for almost all terror-related violence in the United Kingdom, but police routinely downplay it, classifying it as “misogyny” or “conspiracy theories” rather than naming it for what it is.

Anti-Israel marches and protests routinely include calls to kill Jews, such as the notorious “Khaybar” chant, though march organizers get away with calling these “unofficial” voices.

Authorities give kid-glove treatment to pro-Hamas and Hezbollah demonstrations, with flags and pictures of “martyred” heroes like Hassan Nasrallah, though both groups are outlawed terror organizations.

Back to the police “grooming gang” coverups: For fear of seeming to profile the mostly Pakistani immigrants who trafficked and abused white British girls, cops sometimes arrested victims who complained, or even handed them back to their rapists.

This scandal has been unfolding since the 1990s, yet it keeps happening.

And for over a year, Labour blocked and then bumbled efforts to open a national inquiry into the grooming gangs.

Starmer bends over backward to pander to the extremist vote, for example, saying he is “delighted” to welcome Islamist Alaa Abd el-Fattah to Britain after his release from an Egyptian prison — though El-Fattah says the Holocaust didn’t happen, calls British people “dogs and monkeys,” urges his followers to burn Downing Street and kill Zionists and says he hates white people because he is “a racist.”

All is not lost: In a truly regal response to the ambulance arson, King Charles III stepped forward Monday night to become a patron of the Community Safety Trust, a Jewish charity that provides security for synagogues and schools.

God save the king, but Britain will need a lot more bold leadership to excise the antisemitic rot that’s spread so deeply into its government and all too much of its society.

Two individuals have been charged in connection with the vandalism of a political office in Arlington Heights, Illinois, which occurred earlier this year.

The suspects, identified as 72-year-old Brock McNerney and 69-year-old Moisette McNerney, both residents of Arlington Heights, were apprehended by authorities on Monday.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

They face two misdemeanor charges and have been released, pending their upcoming court appearance, according to local police reports.

The incident took place around 11 p.m. on Sunday, January 25, when the Republicans of Wheeling Township Office was defaced with a marker, as stated by the Arlington Heights police.

Security footage from that night captured a pair, a man wearing glasses and a woman, both clad in black, writing profane words and several Nazi symbols over the image of Charlie Kirk on the office windows, a source told ABC7 Chicago.

“Charlie Kirk was born in Arlington Heights, and he actually had come through our doors; so, he was initially started off with our organization. So, we’re really kind of deeply saddened to see that,” Deputy Committeeman John Saletta said.

The Republicans of Wheeling Township Office said the alleged vandals drew antisemitic symbols on their building.

Saletta said they put up surveillance cameras after their building was previously vandalized in December.

“It’s obviously highly offensive, and we’re better than this,” Saletta said. “I think that as a nation, you know, we can resolve our differences through dialogue. That’s what Charlie was all about.”

Bakc in January, Saletta said he hoped the vandals would decide to turn themselves in and do the right thing.

“We have floors of the legislature for talking about policy, trying to work out the best resolution to satisfy the wants and needs of the people, and it shouldn’t be about this,” Saletta said.

Saletta said he will not allow the vandalism to intimidate their work.

The video in the player above is from a previous report.

An understated release of a crucial energy strategy document has stirred worldwide anxiety, with experts cautioning about the potential for a ‘lockdown 2.0’ scenario if fuel shortages escalate.

This advisory, issued by the International Energy Agency (IEA), was outlined in their recent report entitled ‘Sheltering From Oil Shocks.’ The document details 10 strategic actions that nations could adopt should fuel supplies dwindle.

The report was prompted by the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East, which has severely restricted passage through the Strait of Hormuz—a pivotal channel for global oil transport—raising concerns about enduring shortages and escalating fuel costs.

Key suggestions include promoting remote work, lowering speed limits on highways, and reducing air travel to alleviate pressure on the worldwide energy supply chain.

Additionally, the IEA recommends encouraging the use of public transportation over private vehicles and implementing vehicle access restrictions in major urban centers on alternate days, based on license plate numbers.

It further proposed increasing carpooling, adopting fuel-efficient driving practices and diverting liquefied petroleum gas away from vehicles to preserve supplies for essential uses. 

Several of the measures, if adopted, would require sweeping changes to daily routines, particularly in major cities heavily dependent on private vehicles and air travel. 

While the watchdog said the steps are intended to help countries stretch limited supplies, stabilize markets and shield households from the worst effects, the 10 measures have sparked fury online.

Many social media users linked the report to Covid-19 lockdowns in 2020, with some writing: ‘We’re not doing this again.’

The IEA found that adding three additional work-from-home days per week for eligible workers could reduce national oil consumption from passenger vehicles by 2 to 6 per cent

Roughly 15 million barrels of crude oil and another five million barrels of refined oil products typically pass through the Strait of Hormuz each day, accounting for about 20 per cent of global oil consumption. 

With shipments disrupted, crude oil prices have already surged above $100 per barrel, sending shockwaves through global markets and raising alarm among countries heavily dependent on Middle Eastern supplies.

Even short disruptions to traffic through the strait can ripple across global supply chains within days, driving up fuel costs and straining economies worldwide.

The report lays out a sweeping list of changes aimed at cutting energy demand across daily life, with many of the most immediate steps focused on transportation, one of the world’s largest sources of oil consumption.

The IEA found that adding three additional work-from-home days per week for eligible worker could reduce national oil consumption from passenger vehicles by 2 to 6 per cent, while individual drivers could cut their own fuel use by as much as 20 per cent.

Reducing highway speed limits by about six miles per hour could lower fuel consumption for individual drivers by 5 to 10 per cent, while cutting national oil use for private cars by 1 to 6 per cent. 

Heavy freight trucks, which typically operate at lower speeds, could still achieve savings of around 5 per cent.

The IEA also urged governments to shift more travelers on to public transportation, including buses and trains, which could reduce national oil demand for cars by 1 to 3 per cent. 

The report also suggested reducing highway speed limits by about six miles per hour to lower fuel consumption for individual drivers by 5 to 10 per cent

Encouraging walking and cycling for shorter trips would deliver even greater reductions.

In densely populated cities, officials recommend limiting private vehicle access on alternating days based on license plate numbers, a strategy designed to reduce congestion, engine idling and fuel-intensive stop-and-go driving. 

Such measures could cut national car oil use by 1 to 5 per cent.

The report also highlighted the role of car sharing and more efficient driving habits, such as maintaining proper tire pressure, limiting air conditioning use and avoiding aggressive acceleration. 

When combined, these steps could reduce fuel demand for passenger vehicles by up to 8 per cent.

Commercial transportation is another major target. The agency said eco-driving practices for delivery trucks and freight vehicles, including optimizing loads, reducing unnecessary braking and limiting idling, could lower fuel consumption for commercial road transport by 3 to 5 per cent.

In areas where vehicles rely on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), the IEA suggested shifting those vehicles back to gasoline where possible, preserving limited LPG supplies for critical uses such as cooking and household heating.

Taken together, the recommendations reflect a worst-case planning scenario designed to prevent widespread shortages if global oil flows remain disrupted.

Beyond road transport, the report warns that aviation, household energy use and industry must also adapt if shortages worsen.

One of the most dramatic recommendations calls for slashing business air travel by as much as 40 per cent, a move the agency said could significantly reduce jet fuel demand worldwide. 

The IEA estimated that cutting business-related flights at that scale could lower global jet fuel demand by 7 to 15 per cent, particularly if companies widely adopt virtual meetings.

Households are also urged to prepare for potential cooking fuel shortages by switching to electric or alternative cooking methods, particularly in regions heavily dependent on LPG supplies.

Industrial operations are also under scrutiny, with the report urging facilities to prioritize available fuel sources and improve maintenance practices, steps that could reduce oil use in individual facilities by up to 5 per cent.

In response to escalating tensions in the Middle East, law enforcement authorities announced on Tuesday that they are intensifying efforts to monitor and counteract threats directed at Jewish and Muslim communities across the country. The rise in hate crimes and a thwarted terror attack have led to heightened security at religious sites and a more rigorous investigation into extremist activities.

The FBI is currently probing an incident that occurred on March 12 in West Bloomfield, Michigan, where a vehicle was driven into the doors of Temple Israel, one of the largest Reform Jewish congregations in the United States. Officials have been evaluating threats to religious communities and are exploring ways to ensure the safety of worship places.

Michael Masters, who leads the Secure Community Network, spoke at a national security briefing attended by federal and local law enforcement representatives. “Our adversaries aim to intimidate us into staying away,” Masters remarked. “But robust security measures can ensure that doesn’t happen.”

Organized by the network responsible for safeguarding Jewish communities in North America, the briefing took place as Passover approached and global tensions intensified. Recent reports have highlighted anti-Jewish incidents in Southern California and Toronto. Meanwhile, authorities in Europe are investigating vehicle arson in Antwerp and London, suspected as antisemitic attacks.

The network, which coordinates security for Jewish communities in North America, hosted the national security briefing ahead of Passover and amid rising global tensions. Hateful incidents against Jewish people were recently documented in southern California and Toronto, while European officials are investigating car burnings in Antwerp and London as antisemitic attacks.

For many Jewish Americans, the antisemitic incidents have confirmed longstanding fears about the rise of antisemitism, as well as the need to vigorously counter extremism and live their faith undaunted by threats. Meanwhile, the upsurge of virulent anti-Muslim rhetoric from some GOP politicians and Christian nationalists carries echoes of the early 2000s, when the 9/11 attacks and the Afghanistan and Iraq wars bred Islamophobic sentiment across the U.S. and around the world.

Jewish leaders meet with federal officials on threats to communities

Jewish leaders have called on lawmakers and civic leaders to combat the heightened threats.

“As shocking as the incident in Temple Israel was, it has become, for us in the Jewish community, no longer a surprise,” said Gary Torgow, chair of the Jewish Federations of North America, during the briefing on security measures Jewish organizations were taking nationwide. Torgow, a Michigan business executive, said that “hate today spreads at lightning speed through misinformation on social media” and warned that its unchecked spread “inevitably creates a climate where violence becomes more likely.”

Torgow and other Jewish leaders met last week with senior FBI officials to discuss federal efforts to combat antisemitic incidents since the Trump administration launched joint strikes with Israel on Iran, sparking retaliatory strikes and a regional conflict that has reverberated globally. Among the meeting’s participants was Andrew Bailey, the FBI’s deputy director, who Torgow said was receptive and responsive to their concerns.

“What we saw in that meeting is a sincere concern and a really active engagement,” said Torgow. “An attack on a synagogue, we shared with them, has to be really understood for what it is: an attack on the principle that every American should be able to worship in peace.”

Federal authorities are also monitoring for increased activities from radicalized individuals who may seek to attack places of worship or strike during high profile upcoming events or holidays. Officials during the security briefing did not share any known threats to upcoming events and Secure Community Network officials said they did not know of any active threats to Jewish communities at present.

“As we not only seek to defend against would-be malicious actors, particularly ones encouraged by or empathetic to Iran, we also need to be equally on guard for all aspects and assailants as America looks forward to hosting both the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the America 250 celebrations later this year,” said Matthew Kozma, the under secretary for intelligence and analysis at the Department of Homeland Security, during the security briefing.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said during a March Senate hearing that intelligence agencies had focused efforts “on individuals either who have been radicalized by Islamist propaganda and may not have ever had contact with ISIS or al-Qaida” but were nonetheless radicalized online while in the U.S.

The FBI is investigating two recent incidents as acts of terrorism, including an attempted bombing of anti-Muslim protests in front of the New York mayor’s residence and a deadly shooting at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.

Jewish Federations president Eric Fingerhut said the terror attack on Temple Israel showed that “even our most advanced security efforts can be overtaken by world events and by the very determined planning of terrorists,” meaning that Jewish communities “must, yet again, increase our level of security for our community” and work closely with law enforcement to monitor risks, and civic leaders to address the root causes of bigotry and extremism.

The Jewish Federations of North America will also host rallies calling for greater efforts to combat antisemitism from lawmakers in Washington in May.

Since the attack on Temple Israel, for instance, Oakland County, Michigan, Sheriff Michael Bouchard said that he’d received antisemitic death threats himself for responding to the attacks.

“I think it’s incumbent on all of us to step up, stand out and do everything we can to protect our communities,” Bouchard said.

A spike in hateful activities

The causes of the spikes in antisemitic attacks and other hateful conduct are complex and longstanding, experts say. Heightened international tensions, polarized domestic politics and new digital technologies have all contributed to the increase in bigoted views.

“We’re seeing a lot of ideas and conspiracy theories that were once on the fringes of public conversation being ingested into political debate,” said Seth Levi, chief strategy officer at the Southern Poverty Law Center. Levi cited social media and the increased ease of hateful rhetoric to spread unfiltered to a mass audience as the primary driver of radicalization for many extremists.

Muslim Americans, meanwhile, have expressed fear and alarm as anti-Muslim rhetoric and actions by state governments designating Muslim communities as security threats have risen in recent months.

The Southern Poverty Law Center has monitored a large rise in antisemitic and Islamophobic rhetoric over the last year that only intensified since the war in the Middle East began, Levi said.

“We continue to see incidents like hateful and racist flyering, especially neighborhoods that have a particular faith community,” Levi said. “In person, physical harassment where you live creates a different, more visceral reaction than online activity.”

Levi said that most Americans still strongly disapprove of hateful violence and rhetoric in polling reviewed by the Southern Poverty Law Center, but that comments from federal lawmakers, including President Donald Trump, were often echoed in the hateful rhetoric used by some figures online or in physical threats reviewed by the center.

For many Jewish leaders, the moment underscores a need for greater resolve and closer community.

“The vibrancy of Jewish life in North America, Jewish life everywhere, only happens with our own efforts,” said Wendy Berger, chair of the Secure Community Network. “It is in our hands. And we have these extraordinary, amazing federal, local, state partners. But security is up to us, and the vibrancy of Jewish lives depends on it.”

A man from Washington state is now facing a murder charge following the discovery of his girlfriend’s body in a river. The victim’s mother has accused the man of a history of severe abuse, including allegations that he set a timer to beat her at regular intervals in the weeks leading up to her disappearance.

Juan Manuel Delgado Jr., aged 42, has been officially charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of Krista Joy Hunt, who was 37. This development was announced by the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office, with charges formally presented to prosecutors on March 19.

In the period preceding her disappearance, Hunt’s mother shared with Seattle’s KING-TV that her daughter had recounted instances of continuous violence.

“Indeed, she had a broken leg,” stated Pamela Hunt. “She claimed he had stomped on her leg and chest with his boots. She also mentioned that he once set a timer, threatening to hit her every 15 minutes.”

Krista Joy Hunt, reported missing in February 2026, was eventually identified as the woman whose remains were discovered in the Skagit River. Her boyfriend has since been charged with her murder. (Skagit County Sheriff’s Office)

Authorities have not publicly confirmed those allegations.

Hunt was reported missing on Feb. 1 after she was last seen days earlier in the rural town of Concrete, according to a sheriff’s office missing persons’ flyer.

Authorities said the search took a grim turn on March 12, when deputies conducting a boat search of the Skagit River located human remains near milepost 90, just east of Concrete. The Skagit County coroner later confirmed the remains belonged to Hunt.

While the coroner has not determined an exact cause or manner of death, the case remains under active investigation, the Skagit County Coroner’s Office told Fox News Digital. The office has previously documented significant injuries, including a broken neck, jaw and ribs, according to KING-TV.

A scenic view of the Skagit River in Washington state. Authorities conducted search efforts along the river during the investigation into Krista Hunt’s disappearance. (Strekoza2/Getty Images)

Investigators said Delgado was known to Hunt and had been in a relationship with her. Jail records show he was already being held at the Skagit County Jail on unrelated charges when the murder charge was filed.

Delgado was already facing charges of possessing an explosive device, unlawful possession of a firearm and DUI, according to jail records.

According to KING-TV, authorities also uncovered possible evidence of violence inside Delgado’s truck, including clumps of hair and blood believed to be connected to Hunt.

Hunt was last seen around Jan. 25 after she and her boyfriend were in a truck that ran out of gas near the Lone Star Restaurant in Concrete, her mother told the outlet. Hunt got out and walked away and was never seen again.

Her mother has disputed characterizations of the relationship, writing in a social media post that Delgado was not her daughter’s boyfriend.

“He was a moment in her life,” Pamela Hunt wrote. “He subjected her to relentless cruelty and nothing else.”

In a GoFundMe post created during the search, Pamela Hunt also described the extent of her daughter’s injuries weeks earlier.

“The next day, I took her to the hospital—she was covered in bruises, both new and old, had been strangled, had two black eyes, and a broken leg,” she wrote, adding doctors warned she might not survive another strangulation.

A Skagit County Sheriff’s Office patrol boat is seen on the water in an undated photo. The agency operates a marine unit responsible for law enforcement and search-and-rescue operations on local waterways. (Skagit County Sheriff’s Office)

Those claims have not been independently confirmed by authorities.

According to an affidavit cited by KING-TV, Delgado told a deputy on Feb. 1 that he had not heard from Hunt in five days but wanted to return her two dogs. He also acknowledged there had been issues in their relationship but claimed they were on good terms.

Delgado had also reportedly told friends that Hunt may have been hit by a car.

Days after Hunt was reported missing, Delgado allegedly shot himself at a bar in Concrete but survived. He later told authorities he “missed Krista,” according to the report.

Hunt’s family says they have been left devastated by her death.

“I can’t imagine the pain my mom is going through right now,” Hunt’s brother, Rand, told KING-TV. “I know the pain I’m going through. And it’s hard … He stole 60 years of my relationship with Krista.”

Hunt’s mother also confirmed the discovery of her daughter’s remains in a Facebook post, thanking search crews and reflecting on the loss.

“My Daughter Krista Joy Hunt has been found,” she wrote, adding that the remains were discovered March 12 near mile marker 90 along Highway 20. “I am so very grateful to all the people involved in her search and recovery.”

She also referenced the charges filed against Delgado, writing: “He tried to hide his shame; he cannot hide the truth.”

In the same post, she described the emotional toll on the family and said they are now facing funeral and related expenses.

“The love and support from friends, family and friends we’ve yet to meet has been overwhelming in a most beautiful way,” she wrote.

“She was a very independent person,” she told KING-TV. “Not the kind of person you would think would be trapped in an abusive relationship. She was my best friend, my only daughter.” 

Delgado is being held on $1 million bail as the investigation remains ongoing.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office and prosecutor’s office for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.