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February 21, 2023 - The Shelby County Commissioners sought to move forward with a roofing project on the Juvenile Probation building during their meeting on February 8, 2023.
The Juvenile Probation building, located at 305 Nacogdoches Street in Center, has had several repairs to its roof in the past and the commissioners carried a motion to approve a bid from S Goodwin Roof Service, LLC in the amount of $26,733.
With the cost of fuel remaining in a high range, the commissioners were presented with a potential increase in the standard mileage rate for 2023. The IRS issued the optional standard mileage rates for 2023 in December 2022, which included the increase to 65.5 cents per mile driven for business use.
A motion carried by the commissioners to approve the increase from 62.5 cents per mile driven to 65.5 cents per mile driven.
Shelby County District Attorney Karren Price sought the approval of the commissioners to extend a part-time position in her office, held by Whitley Williams, into a permanent part-time position. Price explained Williams has been overseeing the Pretrial Diversion program, and funds gained from that program which help pay her salary are not expected to fund that position alone.
DA Price stated that Williams single-handedly, in the previous two years built up, that fund to around $25,000.
“That’s covered her so far, it’s probably about to run out,” said Price.
Price explained she would like Williams to focus on forfeiture cases for the District Attorney’s office, which up until recently were handled by Paul Robbins who has recently become the District Attorney in San Augustine County.
“I believe there’s about 100 to 120 of those old cases pending, I think I’ve only filed one since I’ve been in office,” said Price. “There is a substantial sum of money pending out there and the treasurer can speak to that.”
Once forfeitures have been accumulated from those cases Price says she is looking toward the future, even beyond herself, Price has a desire for Williams to further her duties and education into cyber forensics and hopefully in the future receive training from the Secret Service in dealing with more computer related investigations, which are an everyday issue and will more than likely continue to have a growing need for attention.
“We have an absolute black hole in Shelby County, Sabine County and San Augustine County, and Panola County frankly in the area of forensic science,” said Price.
She explained computer science is the future of policing and the future is here.
A motion carried by the commissioners to approve extension of the part-time help for the District Attorney’s office until the end of the budget year to revisit at that time. That way the finances can be budgeted for that position.
ETEX Telephone Cooperative, Inc. (ETEX) requested an easement on County property in connection with broadband system for the City of Center and John Price, County Attorney, drafted an easement which he stated has been approved by ETEX. He explained the provisions and terms he included in the document were agreed to by ETEX.
“The easement involved the parking lot in this area behind the courthouse, we’ve discussed this previously, where these portable buildings are the provisions that I have added to the easement they originally proposed, which I was not accepting of, are that that will be broadband will be placed by boring under those lots, there is a provision I’ve included that if for any reason they have to disturb the surface they’ll be responsible for repair and damages replacement, whatever it might take,” said Price.
He also included in the easement provisions for the potential of the county to use that surface in the future for more permanent structure that they inform ETEX first so they may examine the situation in the event they may need to move lines, or make adjustments as a result.
A motion carried by the commissioners to move forward with the easement.
The meeting adjourned into executive session at 10:14am and returned to open session at 10:47am with no action taken on anything discussed in executive session. The meeting adjourned at 10:48am.
February 20, 2023 - FM 138 near FM 1645 was the scene of a single-vehicle crash with a tree on February 18, 2023.
Center Fire Department and West Shelby County Volunteer Fire Department (WSCVFD) responded to the scene to assist with extrication, should it be needed, and traffic control.
According to DPS Trooper Taylor Buster, at 9:50pm a white 1998 Chevrolet pickup truck driven by Jaxon Blaine Fleming, 20, of Center was westbound on FM 138 at an unsafe speed for a curve in the roadway when the truck traveled off the roadway to the left. The truck struck a tree head on and ejected two passengers from the vehicle, meanwhile the driver was left in the floor board of the truck when the vehicle came to rest facing the roadway.
Fleming and his passenger Douglas Leo Jackson, 25, were transported by ambulance to Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital for treatment of injuries.
WSCVFD personnel established a landing zone at the intersection of FM 138 and FM 1645 where a PHI Life Flight helicopter landed and transported Raleigh Windham, 28, to UT Health Tyler for treatment of her injuries.
This crash remains under investigation and there are no further details at the time of this report.
Also assisting at the scene were Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputy Jimmy Wagstaff; Josh Tipton, Constable Precinct 5; and Jamie Hagler, Constable Precinct 2.
February 20, 2023 - Emergency responders with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and Center Fire Department responded to a single-vehicle crash on State Highway 87 near CR 1464 February 18, 2023.
According to DPS Trooper Taylor Buster, at 12:20am a red 2014 Chevrolet Impala driven by McKenzie Rains, 19, of Timpson was southbound on State Highway 87 when the driver stated there were cows in the roadway and she swerved to miss the cattle. Rains took faulty evasive action and failed to drive in a single lane, leaving the roadway to the right before over correcting and crossing the highway before striking a tree and brush in the northbound ditch.
No injuries were reported of Rains or her passenger, Michael Garner.
Rains was arrested and taken into custody on an unrelated warrant out of Rusk County.
The vehicle was towed from the scene.
February 20, 2023 - During the week of February 12th through 18th the Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department responded to 4 calls. Here’s a summary of the week’s events.
Monday evening at 7:45pm a page was received regarding a pedestrian struck by a vehicle across from Subway on the Haslam Strip. Upon arriving, the Joaquin VFD found a car stopped in the right lane the road and a man laying on the shoulder of the road in critical condition. Members of the department began traffic control procedures while the EMR team checked out the patient. A short time later Allegiance EMS arrived and eventually the patient was loaded into the ambulance and transported to an emergency room.
The next call came in on Wednesday at 9:52am for a man with a laceration on his leg at a residence on FM 139. At the time of the page it was reported that the patient still had a severe bleed from the cut but by the time the EMR team arrived the bleeding had stopped. A wrap was applied to the wound and the patient was transferred to the care of Allegiance EMS on scene.
Thursday evening at 6:17pm a call was received for a grass fire near Jackson Church on Highway 7 East. The fire appeared to have originated from a burn pile and spread across a yard in the direction of the church. The JVFD responded with 3 brush trucks and a tanker for additional water if necessary. The ground around the fire was very saturated from all of the recent rain and even the most off-road capable brush truck was bogged down for a short time, but ultimately the fire was able to be put out.
Lastly on Friday evening at 5:36pm a page came in for a male with a laceration on his head at a residence on Carroll Street. The EMR team and Allegiance responded to check out the patient, but after being patched up they opted to go to the emergency room in a personal vehicle.
With that, this edition of the report will come to a close. The Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department hopes everyone has a great and safe week ahead.
February 17, 2023 - State Highway 87 South outside of Shelbyville was the scene of a single-vehicle crash Thursday, February 16, 2023.
When emergency responders arrived at the scene, just under a mile north of CR 2110 (Cannon Cemetery Road) the pickup truck involved was found upside down in a drainage ditch beside the roadway.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Keith Jones, at 7:10am a blue 2018 GMC Sierra pickup truck registered to Cypress Bottom Construction and driven by Shawn Edward Vines, of Haynesville, Louisiana, was southbound on State Highway 87 at an unsafe speed on wet roadway through a curve. The truck exited the roadway and then back onto the road where Vines over corrected to the right causing the truck to travel over a culvert and then rolling over onto its side in a drainage ditch.
Vines was transported ambulance to Nocogdoches Medical Center - Shelby Emergency Department for treatment of possible injuries.
Vines was issued a citation for unsafe speed and failure to wear a safety belt.
The truck was towed from the scene.
Several DPS units were on scene, as well as additional emergency personnel were on scene including the Shelbyville Volunteer Fire Department, Center Fire Department, Constable Jamie Hagler, Center Police Department, and TxDOT.
February 17, 2023 - The intersection of State Loop 500 (SL 500) and State Highway 7 East in Center was the scene of a three-vehicle crash Friday, February 17, 2023.
Officers with the Center Police Department and fire personnel with the Center Fire Department responded to the scene at around 11am.
A silver 1997 Chevrolet pickup truck appeared to have entered the intersection of SL 500 and SH 7 where it collided with a white 2020 Ford Explorer. After the collision, both vehicles traveled into SL 500 where it appeared the truck collided with a trailer being hauled by a white 2017 Peterbilt truck tractor.
According to Center Police Officers Jerry Payne, a blue 1997 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck driven by Davian Jones, 18, was southbound on SL 500 when he failed to stop at the stop sign at the intersection with State Highway 7 (SH7) East. At that time a white 2020 Ford Explorer driven by Sheena Smith, 36, was eastbound on SH7 and was unable to avoid colliding with the Chevrolet, and both vehicles traveled into SL 500 on the south side of SH7.
The Chevrolet came to rest against a truck-tractor, with no damage resulting.
Smith was transported by ambulance to Nacogdoches Medical Center – Shelby Emergency Department for medial evaluation. Smith's minor passenger was not reported to have been injured.
A citation was issued to Jones for running the stop sign, Emergency medical services were on scene and provided assistance to the driver of the Explorer. The driver of the Chevrolet and the Peterbilt appeared not to have sustained any injury from the incident.
February 16, 2023 - Shelby County Constable for Precinct 3, Roy Cheatwood, reports the arrest of Aaron Conner Brazzel, 25, following an extensive chase which ended in Louisiana on February 11, 2023.
According to Constable Cheatwood, the vehicle involved in the pursuit had been reported to the DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Department as stolen from a place of business there, and the owner of the 2004 GMC Yukon contacted Constable Cheatwood about the incident in the event the vehicle was on the Texas side.
After being informed of the theft, Constable Cheatwood had a suspicion of who had taken the vehicle and he requested the assistance of Taylor Fanguy, Constable Precinct 4, to assist him in the event the vehicle was located.
A family member of the vehicle owner contacted Cheatwood and reported seeing the vehicle on Truitt Cemetery Road off State Highway 7 East. As the officers commenced to searching area roadways, Constable Cheatwood requested the assistance of Shelby County Deputy Jake Gross in searching for the vehicle.
Constable Cheatwood was searching the area in the vicinity of the baseball fields located off State Highway 7 East when he pulled into the parking lot of the complex. At that time Cheatwood believes he and the suspect both spotted each other, and as he activated his emergency lights to attempt to stop the vehicle, the pursuit began.
With Constable Cheatwood engaging the driver to pull over, the chase began to travel CR 3193 where it connected to FM 139 and Deputy Gross joined in the pursuit on FM 139 to State Highway 7 where the vehicles then continued down U.S. Highway 84 traveling toward Logansport. The line of vehicles then traveled U.S. 84 through Logansport to Bogle Road and connected to Old Mansfield Road where the pursuit then headed back toward Logansport Bridge and onto Louisiana 764 to Louisiana 765 and then to State Line Road for around two miles before the more than 13 mile pursuit finally came to an end, when the vehicle crashed and flipped.
After confirming the driver was ok, Deputy Gross deployed an Asp baton and broke the window to help get him out of the vehicle.
DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Department and Louisiana State Police arrived and took over the scene. The driver was then transported by ambulance to Memorial Hospital in Mansfield where he was later released and arrested by the DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Department. According to Constable Cheatwood, upon questioning Brazzel he admitted to taking the vehicle and DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Department charged him with theft of a motor vehicle, felony; and fugitive from justice, felony. According to jail information, he is being held on a $100,000 bond.
Constable Cheatwood intends to seek charges against Brazzel for evading arrest or detention with a motor vehicle, state jail felony. He encourages residents to be vigilant and aware of their surroundings, remember to remove keys from vehicles, lock doors and if something seems suspicious call law enforcement authorities.
According to Constable Cheatwood, the GMC is owned by Daniel Lawson and was used for flower deliveries in his business, which now will be impacted negatively by the loss of his vehicle.
Cheatwood stated this was the 60th vehicle recovered through his office since he's been in office. He expressed gratitude to Shelby County Deputy Jake Gross, Constable Taylor Fanguy, Constable Josh Tipton, DeSoto Parish Sheriff's Department and the Louisiana State Police for their assistance.
February 14, 2023 - State Highway 7 West was the scene of a three-vehicle crash Tuesday, February 14, 2023, what resulted in the death of one driver involved in the incident.
Emergency personnel with various agencies responded to the scene to come to the aid of those involved. The West Shelby County Volunteer Fire Department (WSCVFD) and Center Fire Department responded and provided assistance to those involved, as well as to divert traffic at the scene.
All four lanes of traffic were shut down to allow for vehicles to be cleared and for Texas Department of Public Safety State Troopers to investigate.
According to information released by the Texas Department of Public Safety, the preliminary investigation indicates that at approximately 6:40am, a white 2014 GMC Acadia SUV driven by Michelle Acosta, 22, of Center with a 1-year-old child passenger was traveling west. The GMC was followed by a red 2010 Hyundai passenger car driven by Belva Hartsfield, 72, of Lufkin while a white 2018 Chevrolet pickup driven by Travis Edds, 36, of Nacogdoches was traveling east.
It is reported that the driver of the GMC traveled into the oncoming lane and struck the Chevrolet. After impact, the Chevrolet skid into the west lane and was struck by the Hyundai.
Belva Hartsfield was pronounced deceased at Nacogdoches Medical Center - Shelby Emergency Department by Donna Hughes, Justice of the Peace Precinct 1.
Acosta was transported to Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. The 1-year-old child was not reported to have been injured and was transported from the scene by a family member.
Edds was not reported to have received injury.
This is an ongoing investigation and no further information is available.
TxDOT, WSCVFD and Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputies continued to assist until the scene was clear while DPS Trooper Sgt. Aaron Shelton and Trooper Ashley White investigated the crash.
February 13, 2023 - FM 415 is now shut down completely between CR 4123 and CR 4129!
Timpson VFD is on the scene of a rollover on FM 415. Please use caution and look out for first responders because the road is down to one lane and will be for a while!
February 13, 2023 - Over the week of February 5th through 11th the Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department had just 2 calls, with both coming in on Wednesday. Here’s a summary of the week’s events.
Wednesday morning at 7:51am the JVFD was called to assist with a potential DOA on the Doogieville Loop. It was quickly discovered that this was the scene of a crime and a investigation was opened by law enforcement. At this point there was not much that the JVFD could do and they were cleared from the scene. The suspect was brought into custody later in the evening.
Later Wednesday night at 8:58pm a call would be received for a diabetic patient possibly going into a diabetic coma on Childress Street. Members of the EMR team responded to check out the patient and Allegiance EMS arrived shortly thereafter. The patient was then loaded into the ambulance where they could be transported to a nearby emergency room.
With that, this report will come to a close. The Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department hopes everyone has a great and safe week ahead.
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