Based on my research (and who knew there was a website solely devoted to turtles native to Texas?), I believe this is a beautiful specimen of a Red Eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans). I'm not sure I've ever seen a turtle this pristine with such amazing shell patterns.
Since he, or more likely she based on her (somewhat large) size, wasn't going anywhere since she'd walked herself right into a corner. Like the great humanitarian TLS is, he picked the turtle up and transfered it across the street to a large field. Of course, that sentence made it seem much easier than it really was. Normally when you pick up a turtle, the head and all four legs get tucked into the shell. You might get a hissing noise if old turtley is in a particularly foul mood (or if you're particularly unlucky, you might get peed on), but our porch visitor stuck out her neck and started "swimming" as soon as TLS picked her up, causing him to put her quickly back down since he was getting raked by those sharp little claws. Luckily, the work gloves were close at hand and she was on her way.
Safe travels, little reptile!
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