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May 28, 2021 - A gas field location off U.S. Highway 96 North just south of CR 4356 was the scene of an mysterious incident early Friday, May 28, 2021.
Residents in the area reported hearing a loud noise, and in the light of day a large amount of piping which had been underground had come to the surface in a chaotic looking jumble of metal. Pipes were also cast out into a nearby cattle field.
Power lines to the site were visibly disconnected from the location, and several residents in the vicinity were also impacted by a power outage. Utility crews were in the area working at reconnecting the lines.
A resident in the area suggested a tornado may have blown through during the morning, as there were some twisted trees nearby. At the time Shelby County Today was on scene a search for the well head was ongoing.
Shelby County Today reached out to the company that manages the site, Eagle Oil & Gas, and they confirmed, "There was an incident at our Griffith No. 1 well this morning. At present, we have personnel on the ground assessing the situation."
Additional details on what caused the incident to occur are not yet available, and will be updated as soon as they are made available.
May 28, 2021 - Emergency personnel responded to a two-vehicle crash on State Highway 87 North just past CR 1000 Friday, May 28, 2021.
When officers arrived, a white 2015 Chevrolet Camaro was disabled and had come to a halt in the parking lot of a nearby auction barn. The second vehicle involved was also disabled and had come to rest off the roadway in front of a residence.
As officers approached the second vehicle, a white 2015 Dodge Charger, to offer assistance to the occupants the situation suddenly escalated to a tense one as the driver was discovered to be in possession of a handgun. A Shelby County Sheriff's Deputy returned to his patrol vehicle, armed himself with a rifle and called for backup.
The driver of the vehicle responded to commands by the deputy to exit the vehicle; however, he kept reaching inside the car and the passenger wasn't exiting the vehicle. Additional officers with the Sheriff's Department and Texas Department of Public Safety arrived at the location of the vehicle and also were armed with rifles to back up the deputy.
EMS personnel is seen waving off additional medical personnel until officers resolved the situation.
After some time, the passenger complied with officers orders as well, and both were taken into custody without incident. It was later learned the lack of compliance by the passenger may have been due to a medical condition.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Keith Jones, when troopers arrived on scene at 10:05am investigation determined a white 2015 Dodge Charger driven by Secorrie Horton, 41, of Center was northbound on State Highway 87 (SH 87) North.
At that time, a white 2015 Chevrolet Camaro driven by Laurie Eldridge, 45, was southbound on SH 87 when the Charger entered the wrong side of the roadway when not passing and struck the Camaro on its right front quarter panel with the right rear quarter panel of the Charger.
Eldridge was transported by ambulance to Nacogdoches Medical Center - Shelby Emergency Department for treatment of minor injuries.
Horton was arrested and charged with wrong side of roadway not passing, no driver's license, and unlawful possession of a firearm by felon.
Robert Calhoun, 50, a passenger in the Charger was later released from custody and no charges are expected.
Both vehicles were towed from the scene.
May 28, 2021 - AG Paxton reports on five individuals arrested during its Law Enforcement Round Up and one of the fugitives was a Shelby County man.
The Child Exploitation Unit made one arrest last week.
In Williamson County, Peter Ray Craig was arrested on five counts of Possession of Child Pornography with Prior Conviction. This case was received as a NCMEC CyberTipline report involving the upload of images of child pornography to an online photo storage platform. On May 20, investigators executed a search warrant at Craig’s home in Round Rock where more files of child pornography were found. During an interview, Craig confessed to uploading and storing files of child pornography. Four additional counts of Possession of Child Pornography with Prior Conviction were added to Craig’s charges. Investigators seized his cell phone for examination by the Digital Forensics Unit. Craig was transported to the Williamson County Jail.
The Fugitive Apprehension Unit made several noteworthy arrests last week.
Photo from Shelby County Jail
In Shelby County, Joseph Philip Landry was arrested in Center on May 20. Landry had outstanding warrants from the State of Louisiana for 30 counts of Pornography Involving Juvenile (under the age of 13) and one count of Unauthorized use of a Wireless Router System; Pornography involving Juveniles (under that age of 13) issued by the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation. The Unit was assisted by the Joint East Texas Fugitive Task Force.
In Travis County, Zaoin Deshone Gilmore was arrested in Austin on May 17. Gilmore had an outstanding warrant for Aggravated Robbery with a Deadly Weapon issued by the Round Rock Police Department. This arrest was made while working with the United States Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force out of Austin.
In Dallas County, Anthony Michael Arce was arrested in Rowlett on May 19. Arce had outstanding warrants for Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child, 1st Degree Felony and Sexual Performance by Child, 2nd Degree Felony issued by the Marble Falls Police Department.
In Harris County, Gary Wayne George was arrested in Houston on May 19. George had open felony warrants for Rape and Possession of Pornographic Material-Minor issued by the Autauga County Sheriff’s Office. George also had a non-extraditable warrant for a Probation Violation issued by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office in Florida. George is a convicted sex offender. In 1996, he was convicted of Attempted Sexual Abuse in Montgomery County, Alabama. This arrest was made while working with the United States Marshals Gulf Coast Fugitive Task Force out of Houston.
May 27, 2021 - Due to inclement weather forecast, Shelbyville High School graduation will be held in the S.I.S.D. Gymnasium, May 28 at 7pm. Please plan accordingly and arrive early.
May 27, 2021 - Texas Transportation Commissioners on Wednesday approved more than $271.5 million in new construction projects statewide, with more than $12.1 million earmarked for projects in the Lufkin District.
Angelina County was approved for bridge replacements on FM 2497 totaling $5.2 million. The work will be in two locations, at Cedar Creek and Cedar Creek Relief at the estimated costs of $2.6 for each location. There has been no timeline for completion set.
Nacogdoches County was approved for a $5.4 million bridge replacement project on SH 21 at Atascoso Creek. No timeline for completion has been set.
Sabine County was approved for a bridge maintenance project located on FM 83, FM 2024 and US 96 estimated at a cost of $1 million. Work on FM 83 will be located at Housen Bayou Relief at an estimated cost of $259,687. FM 2024 will be located at Housen Bayou at an estimated cost of $253,197. Work on US 96 will be located at Devil’s Ford Creek at an estimated cost of $482,263. No timeline for completion has been set.
A $311,290.55 project was also approved for intersection improvements at a location in Angelina County and four locations in Shelby County. These improvements will include upgrading signal detection equipment on US 69 at FM 326 south in Angelina County. Improvements in Shelby County include installing a traffic signal on US 96 (Hurst Street, entrance beside McDonalds) at Foster Road, install flashing beacons and illumination on SH 7 at FM 139, installing flashing beacons and illumination on US 84 at SH 7 and upgrading signal detection equipment on US 84 at SH 7.
As these projects begin, motorists are urged to obey all signage and stay alert for closures, moving equipment and workers. Obey all work zone speed limits. Fines double when workers are present.
For more information, contact Rhonda.Oaks@txdot.gov or call (936) 633-4395.
May 27, 2021 - Center Fire Department personnel discovered a man who was incapacitated at a Pecan Grove trailer park house fire Saturday, May 22, 2021.
Around 3pm, when fire personnel first arrived at the scene, a mobile home which appeared to be abandoned and was surrounded by undergrowth, was already mostly burned to the ground.
Fire personnel began working to extinguish the flames of what remained of the structure. After putting out a lot of the fire at the front of the building, the fire personnel made their way into the woods to fight fire on the backside of the home.
To their surprise, they discovered an apparently incapacitated man on the ground near the mostly burned down structure.
Center Police Department and EMS personnel were requested to the scene and the man was eventually rescued from the fire as emergency responders helped him out of the wooded area. He was then walked to an ambulance so he could be medically evaluated.
According to the Center Fire Department, the fire was later determined to be a controlled burn.
May 26, 2021 - East Lamar Water Supply water quality report for January 1 to December 31, 2020 is now available. East Lamar WSC provides surface water and ground water from the Wilcox Aquifer located in Shelby County. To view the report, click here.
May 26, 2021 - State Loop 500 just before the Noble Street overpass was the scene of a two-vehicle crash Friday, May 21, 2021 at around 1:30pm.
According to Center Police Department officer William Lee, a white 1999 Dodge pickup truck driven by Gary Smith, 18, of Center was traveling southwest on Loop 500. At that time a silver 2002 Mercury Sable driven by Jordan Leadingham, 21, with passenger Eric Perez, 27, was also traveling southwest behind the pickup truck and failed to control speed, causing the Mercury to strike the Dodge in the rear.
Both vehicles came to rest against a guardrail.
Anna Lyons, 19, a passenger in the Dodge, was transported by ambulance to Nacogdoches Medical Center - Shelby Emergency Department for medical evaluation as Smith stated she was eight months pregnant.
No citations were reported to have been issued at that time.
Center Fire Department fire personnel were on scene to help direct traffic.
May 26, 2021 - Precinct 1 Commissioner Roscoe McSwain states CR 1006 is once again open to traffic.
May 13, 2021 - Shelby County Precinct 1 Barn, Roscoe McSwain Commissioner, has announced May 13, 2021, County Road 1006 from the railroad tracks to FM 417 will be closed for culvert repairs for a projected week and a half
May 25, 2021 - U.S. Highway 96 just outside of Center at Loop 500 was the scene of a four-vehicle crash on Friday, May 21, 2021.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Sgt. Stephen Wood, at 11:25am a black 2006 Toyota Corolla driven by Jose Jorge Cubas, 37, of Center was northbound on U.S. Highway 96 North near CR 3760 and had slowed to make a left-hand turn into a private driveway.
At that time a grey 2009 Honda Accord driven by Brandon Lee Dye, 20, of Fort Smith, Ark., with passenger Dalton Brooks Ellison, 19, was also northbound and failed to control speed when Dye stated he did not see the Toyota, and collided with the rear of the Toyota, leaving the Honda in the northbound traffic lanes.
The Toyota was pushed into oncoming traffic where it struck the front distributive of a silver 2008 Nissan Altima driven by Deborah Jean Schoubroek, 49, of Joaquin and caused major damage to both vehicles. The Nissan spun around and came to rest in the southbound ditch beside the private drive and the Toyota came to rest back in the northbound traffic lane.
A black 2018 Ford F250 driven by Jason Wade Parker, 47, of Sulphur, LA., with passenger Eric Slade Hunt, 54, was also northbound when the initial collision occured and veered right to avoid a collision with the Toyota and the Nissan and subsequently struck the Toyota. The Toyota remained in the northbound traffic lane and the F250 was able to safely pull off to the northbound shoulder.
Once on scene the Center Fire Department utilized Jaws of Life to extricate Schoubroek from the Nissan, and assisted EMS in moving her to an ambulance for transport.
Schoubroek and Cubas were each transported by ambulance to Nacogdoches Medical Center - Shelby Emergency Department for treatment of possible injury.
Dye was issued a citation for failure to control speed and Cubas was issued citations for failure to maintain financial responsibility and no driver license when unlicensed.
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