Heather Novickis romps with her dogs Diesel and Higgins as the snow piled higher and deeper Wednesday at Scott Carpenter Park in Boulder, Colo. The storm wreaked chaos from Utah into Nebraska.

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DENVER — A storm bringing the first heavy snows of autumn to a large swath of the Rockies and Western Plains crippled parts of Colorado and Wyoming Wednesday, forcing road closures and sending students home early as the region battled up to two feet of snow but braced for twice that.

The slow-moving system socked Denver commuters with treacherous driving conditions — a strong punch for residents who were sporting short sleeves just a couple of weeks ago. Visibility fell below a quarter-mile in many areas, and forecasters warned the storm would linger at least another day.

Forecasters said some areas high in the Rocky Mountains could have 4 feet of snow by the time the storm moved out today. The weather system spread a blanket of white from northern Utah's Wasatch Front to western Nebraska's northern border with South Dakota.

The same system kicked up heavy winds and dust Tuesday in Nevada, Arizona and California.

DEL NORTE — A sheriff in southwestern Colorado says he expects a 14-year-old boy to be charged in the deaths of his mother and stepfather after their bodies were discovered at their home.

A relative found the bodies of 38-year-old Tracy Aaron Rinebarger and 34-year-old Joanna Marlee Rinebarger on Tuesday afternoon.

Rio Grande County Sheriff Brian Norton would not say how the couple died, but he said he expects the district attorney to file charges by Friday.

Authorities say the boy was not at the home when the bodies were found. He was arrested later in Park County and is being held at a youth detention facility.

SAN FRANCISCO — When 5,000 pounds of metal broke off the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and rained down on traffic during rush hour, the accident resurrected fears about the safety of a span that millions watching the 1989 World Series broadcast learned had failed during an earthquake.

The bridge won't reopen to traffic in time for this morning's commute, California Department of Transportation spokesman Bart Ney said Wednesday.

Construction crews worked through Tuesday night fighting winds that gusted to 35 mph as they brought in heavy machinery to try to move the metal and make repairs.

CORAL SPRINGS — Two teenage brothers were home alone in their suburban neighborhood when an argument over loud music spiraled out of control, police said, leaving one brother dead from a knife to the chest and the other accused of killing him.

William Gorzynski, 15, was being held in juvenile custody on suspicion of second-degree murder in the death Monday afternoon of 14-year-old Matthew Gorzynski.

According to police in Coral Springs, about 45 miles north of Miami, Matthew was playing music on a home computer. William was watching television nearby and complained the volume was too loud. He told him to turn it down. Matthew refused. The two yelled at each other, then fought.

Then William went to the kitchen, grabbed a 7-inch knife and stabbed his brother in the upper left chest, Sgt. Joe McHugh said.

William called 911 soon after and told the dispatcher he had just stabbed his brother.

TUSCALOOSA — A federal jury convicted Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford on Wednesday on all charges of accepting bribes in exchange for funneling $7.1 million in bond business to a prominent investment banker.

As a convicted felon, Langford was automatically removed from the office he won in a landslide in 2007.

Jurors deliberated less than two hours before returning their sweeping verdict on all 60 counts. It came after six days of testimony in which they heard that Langford had accepted cash and luxury items worth $236,000 while serving as president of the Jefferson County Commission. In exchange, prosecutors said, Langford sent lucrative bond business to investment banker Bill Blount.

Langford, 63, showed no emotion when the verdict was read. He was allowed to remain free on $50,000 bond until his sentencing, which the judge said would be in about three months, and he agreed to forfeit $241,843. He was charged with bribery, conspiracy, fraud, money laundering and filing false tax returns. He could face years of prison and large fines when he is sentenced.

DETROIT — Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick filed a lawsuit Wednesday against a lawyer who leaked racy text messages to the Detroit Free Press and kicked off a scandal that brought down Kilpatrick's administration and sent him to jail.

The lawsuit, filed in Wayne County Circuit Court, cites recent testimony by attorney Mike Stefani before a disciplinary board that he leaked the messages to the newspaper.

The suit says Stefani violated a confidentiality agreement requiring him to turn over all copies of the explosive messages in exchange for settling police whistle-blower lawsuits involving three ex-Detroit officers he represented.

James Thomas, Kilpatrick's attorney, told the Detroit Free Press that any damages would go to the city of Detroit. The lawsuit seeks $2.666 million in damages.

Kilpatrick was into the middle of his second term as mayor when the sexually explicit text messages with his then-Chief of Staff Christine Beatty were published by the newspaper.

ELDORADO — A prosecutor has told jurors that witnesses, documents and DNA will show that a 38-year-old member of a polygamist group sexually assaulted a teen half his age at a West Texas ranch.

Assistant Attorney General Eric Nichols gave his opening statements Wednesday in the trial of Raymond Jessop. He's charged with sexual assault of a child, which stems from his alleged marriage to a girl in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Jessop's attorney insists that prosecutors don't have evidence to show that a crime occurred in Texas. He urged jurors not to be distracted by the group's prairie-style clothing, braids or religious beliefs.

Jessop's is the first criminal trial stemming from last year's raid on the group's ranch.