November 12, 2015 - Shelbyville was the scene of a two-vehicle crash involving a van full of children on Highway 87 Thursday, November 12, 2015.
Shelby County Sheriff's Department Chief Shad Sparks; Jamie Hagler, Constable Precinct 2; and school personnel including Shelbyville ISD Police Chief Jud Matthews all responded to the scene of the crash which had one vehicle in the Family Dollar Parking lot and another in the U.S. Post Office parking lot.
ACE EMS personnel arrived on scene and began treating those involved in the crash. EMS transported the driver and front passenger of the van to Nacogdoches Medical Center - Center Emergency Department for treatment. Six children which were in the van that crashed were moved to a Shelbyville ISD van and Elementary School Principal Mike Furlow drove them to the hospital as a precautionary measure and for treatment of some minor injuries.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Jeff Pirtle, at 7:45am a brown 2003 Ford Explorer driven by Mildreth Guerra, 21, of Center failed to yield right of way at a stop sign where FM 417 and State Highway 87 South intersect.
Demetrus Lofton, 38, of Center was traveling south on Highway 87 in a white Ford Transit 350 XLT van with front passenger Atovia Smith, 24, of Center and six children on their way to school when Guerra pulled out in front of the van, causing the two to collide. The vehicles deflected off one another sending the van into a ditch and into the Family Dollar parking lot where it came to rest. The Explorer continued into the opposite ditch, over a culvert and into the U.S. Post office parking lot where it came to rest on a curb.
Guerra refused medical treatment at the scene, she was cited for fail to yield right of way at stop sign, no driver's license, and no registration.
