Shelby County Emergency Personnel Respond to Fatal San Augustine Crash

June 29, 2015 - Shelby County Emergency personnel were on scene for a two-vehicle crash in San Augustine County on Friday, June 26, 2015 which resulted in a fatality for one passenger involved. Personnel with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), Shelby County Sheriff's Department, Center Police Department and Center Fire Department were all dispatched to the crash scene. The location was reported to be on the Shelby County side and due to the severity of the crash, first responders continued to search for the location. Eventually the crash was located 2 1/4 miles from the Shelby County line in San Augustine County.

Personnel quickly began checking those involved in the crash and immediately called for more ambulances to be en-route as well as Jaws of Life. The Center firemen and San Augustine Volunteer firemen began working to extricate people from vehicles. Sheriff's Deputies and Police Officers actively assisted EMS personnel in moving occupants from the vehicles to waiting ambulances.

The driver of a Dodge pickup truck and two children from a Honda Pilot were removed first from the vehicles. It was determined the 12-year-old female passenger was in need of critical care and a life-flight was requested. While the helicopter was en-route, firemen worked at extricating the driver of the Pilot from the vehicle. The San Augustine Sheriff's Department and firemen established a landing zone for the helicopter.

Once the driver was removed from the Pilot it was determined the passenger, his wife, had passed away. A Life-Air Rescue helicopter landed at the scene of the crash and airlifted the 12-year-old female from the scene.

According to the DPS report, at 10pm a 2006 Dodge Ram 2500 pickup truck driven by Bryan Norris Spurgeon, 53, of Orange was traveling north on U.S. Highway 96. A 2015 Honda Pilot driven by William Pond, 61, of Orange was traveling south at the same time when Spurgeon drove on the wrong side of the roadway when not passing and caused the vehicles to collide head-on.

Spurgeon received non-incapacitating injuries and was transported from the scene to San Augustine Memorial Hospital for treatment, and was later released. William Pond received injuries and was transported to San Augustine Memorial Hospital for treatment of his incapacitating injuries. He was later transported to ETMC Tyler in stable condition for treatment. An 11-year-old male passenger of Indiana was in the back set of the Pilot. He was transported to San Augustine Memorial Hospital with non-incapacitating injuries, was treated and released. A 12-year-old female passenger of Indiana, also in the backseat of the Pilot was in stable condition with incapacitating injuries. She was transported by Life-Air Rescue to LSU Hospital for treatment of her injuries.

Malinda Sue Pond, 61, of Orange was pronounced deceased at the scene by JD Miller, Justice of the Peace Precinct 4 of San Augustine County. She was transported from the scene by Wyman Roberts Funeral Home in San Augustine.

All parties involved in the crash were wearing their seat belts. Following his release from the hospital, Spurgeon was arrested and booked into the San Augustine County Jail for Intoxication Manslaughter. The crash remains under investigation by DPS Trooper Jade LaVergne who was assisted at the scene by DPS Trooper Keith Jones.