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December 30, 2021 - A Shelby County Grand Jury handed down 16 indictments on Wednesday, November 17, 2021. The grand jury was impaneled for the July 2021 term of the 123rd Judicial District Court, and grand jury was held in both the 123rd and 273rd Judicial District courts.
Justin Earl Bennett was indicted for murder, first degree felony. The indictment alleges, on August 21, 2021, Bennett intentionally or knowingly caused the death of Deon Bailey by shooting him with a gun in the head and thigh.
Zenas Montre Whitaker was indicted for aggravated kidnapping, first degree felony. The indictment alleges, on July 7, 2020, Whitaker abducted an individual by moving her from one place to another while also exhibiting a deadly weapon, a bat.
Philip Taylor Reynolds was indicted for medicaid fraud, third degree felony. The indictment alleges, on January 9, 2014, Reynolds falsely claimed to provide dental services to permit him to receive payment under a health care program, namely Texas Medical Assistance Program, and the payment was greater than the benefit that was authorized. The amount of the payment provided under the health care program, directly or indirectly, as a result of the alleged conduct was $30,000 or more but less than $150,000.
David Morgan Creel was indicted for abandoning or endangering a child, second degree felony. The indictment alleges, on September 6, 2021, Creel engaged in conduct that placed a child younger than 15 years of age in imminent danger of death, bodily injury, or physical or mental impairment by forcing the child into deep water knowing they could not swim.
Corey Green was indicted for credit card/debit card abuse, state jail felony. The indictment alleges, on June 21, 2021, Green had intent to fraudulently obtain a benefit through use of a credit card, namely a Timpson Quick Stop fuel card, with knowledge the card was not issued to Green. It is further alleged the use of the card was not with the effective consent of the cardholder, Timpson Volunteer Fire Department.
Steven Polk was indicted for evading arrest, third degree felony. The indictment alleges, on April 28, 2021, Polk used a vehicle to intentionally flee from Brian Wright (Center Police Officer), a person Polk knew was a peace officer attempting to lawfully arrest or detain Polk.
Terry Jay Hunsley was indicted for indecency with a child, second degree felony. The indictment alleges, on February 4, 2019, Hunsley had intent to arouse or gratify sexual desires and caused a child younger than 17 years of age to engage in sexual contact.
(Dates in parenthesis indicate the date of the alleged incident):
- Chatrick Tyrone Hines, driving while intoxicated - 3rd or more, third degree felony (July 21, 2021).
- Melton Garrett, possession of a controlled substance (phencyclidine), second degree felony (August 10, 2021).
- Gary Patrick Simon, possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), second degree felony (August 14, 2021).
- Chadrick Raemond Polley, possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), state jail felony (July 10, 2021).
- Gary Lewis Smith, possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), state jail felony (June 30, 2021).
- Matthew Lemoine Williams, possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), state jail felony (July 29, 2021).
- Jamison Rashard Swindle, possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), second degree felony (April 23, 2021).
- Radley Lamar Brock, driving while intoxicated - 3rd or more, third degree felony (October 2, 2021).
- Jarrod Wilson, possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), third degree felony (June 19, 2021).
Indictments and Information are not a conviction, and are a matter of public record. All individuals are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law.
December 29, 2021 - This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of south central Arkansas, southwest Arkansas, north central Louisiana, northwest Louisiana, southeast Oklahoma, east Texas and northeast Texas.
Day One: Today and Tonight
Thunderstorms will be possible across the I-30 corridor into south-central Arkansas later this morning into early this evening. Some severe storms may be possible producing hail, damaging winds, and isolated tornadoes.
Days Two Through Seven: Thursday through Tuesday
Another round of severe weather will be possible from Friday evening into Saturday mainly across the I-30 corridor into south-central Arkansas and north Louisiana along a frontal boundary. Conditions forecast to improve on Saturday afternoon with much colder temperatures expected. Overnight lows on Sunday morning forecast to range from the teens across southeast Oklahoma to near freezing across north Louisiana.
Spotter Information Statement
Activation of emergency management personnel, amateur radio operators, and storm spotters will not be needed today or tonight.
December 28, 2021 - Shelby County Constables were successful in locating and recovering a stolen truck-tractor on December 27, 2021.
According to Josh Tipton, Constable Precinct 5, during the early evening he received a call of a disturbance involving an unwanted individual at a residence, and once at the location he obtained information the man was a Johnny Cunningham of Spurger.
Witnesses at the residence provided information to Constable Tipton, Cunningham may have stolen a vehicle as a means to get to Timpson; however, he was without a vehicle and was on foot.
As the result of continued investigation and while on routine patrol Constable Tipton eventually discovered Cunningham walking along U.S. Highway 59 in Timpson and he made contact with him. During questioning of Cunningham beside the roadway Roy Cheatwood, Constable Precinct 3, arrived to assist.
From there the constables determined the location of a 1996 Peterbilt 378 off County Road 4849 on a gas pipeline right of way backed up into some brush. During the constables investigation they confirmed with Tyler County the truck had been reported stolen.
Information and evidence gathered during the investigation is being passed on to the Tyler County Sheriff's Department for potential warrants to be issued at a later date.
The truck was able to be returned to its owner as a result of this investigation.
December 28, 2021 - The boil water notice for San Augustine Rural Public Water System has been rescinded. It is no longer necessary to boil water.
December 22, 2021 - Due to a break in a line, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has required San Augustine Rural Public Water System PWS #2030007 to notify Customers on FM 353 to boil their water prior to consumption (eg., washing hands / face, brushing teeth, drinking, etc). Children, Seniors and Persons with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to harmful bacteria, and all customers should follow these directions.
To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking and ice making should be boiled and cooled prior to use for drinking water or human consumption purposes. The water should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes.
In lieu of boiling, individuals may purchase bottled water or obtain water from some other suitable source for drinking water or human consumption purposes.
When it is no longer necessary to boil the water, the public water system officials will notify customers that the water is safe for drinking water or human consumption purposes.
Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received the notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.
If you have questions concerning this matter, you may contact San Augustine Rural Water System at 220 W. Columbia Street, San Augustine, Texas, 75972, or call 936-288-0489 or Charles Sharp at 936-201-5001.
December 28, 2021 - The federal government controls the distribution of monoclonal antibodies, and the regional infusion centers in Austin, El Paso, Fort Worth, San Antonio and The Woodlands have exhausted their supply of sotrovimab, the monoclonal antibody effective against the COVID-19 Omicron variant, due to the national shortage from the federal government. They will not be able to offer it until federal authorities ship additional courses of sotrovimab to Texas in January. People who had appointments scheduled this week will be contacted directly and advised. Other monoclonal antibodies have not shown to be effective against the Omicron variant, which now accounts for more than 90 percent of new cases. The infusion centers will continue to offer those antibodies as prescribed by health care providers for people diagnosed with a non-Omicron case of COVID-19.
Two new oral antiviral drugs authorized last week by the Food and Drug Administration will be available soon, though they are expected to have a limited initial supply, and the federal government will also control their distribution. People with COVID-19 infections at high risk of hospitalization and death should contact their health care provider to discuss treatment options. Everyone should protect themselves from severe COVID-19 by getting vaccinated as soon as possible, getting a booster as soon as they are eligible, and continuing to take precautions to prevent being exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19 and spreading it to others.
December 24, 2021 - Sheriff Windham reports the arrest of Gary Smith in San Augustine County on Thursday night, December 23, 2021.
December 23, 2021 - Sheriff Kevin W. Windham reports that on Thursday, December 23, 2021 at 6:45am, an officer with the SCSO responded to a suspicious vehicle call at the intersection of FM 417 and FM 2694 in Shelbyville. Upon arrival, the officer made contact with an individual known to be Gary Smith, 19, of Timpson. Smith was known to have an active warrant out of San Augustine County for Assault (M-A). When the officer attempted to arrest Smith, he crossed a fence and took off on foot. Smith was last seen heading South in a pasture off FM 417.
He is described as a white male, 6-foot, and weighs approximately 145 pounds with brown eyes and brown curly hair. He was last seen wearing a gray jacket with a blue hoodie underneath it, blue jeans and a baseball cap. Smith’s clothes were very dirty.
If you have seen Smith or know of his whereabouts, please contact the SCSO at 936.598.5601.
If anyone is found to be hindering the apprehension, harboring or concealing, providing or aiding with any means of avoiding arrest or effecting escape, or warns Smith of impending discovery or apprehension, will be arrested and charged in accordance to Penal Code 38.05 Hindering Apprehension or Prosecution, a Felony 3 offense.
Leah Chase, SCSO Public Relations
December 23, 2021 - State Highway 87 (SH 87) North in the Mt. Gillion Community was the scene of a two-vehicle crash December 18, 2021.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Keith Jones, at 4:43pm a red 2003 Ford F-150 driven by Colton Lee McSwain, 25, of Timpson was northbound on SH 87 near CR 1034 during rain conditions when three dogs were crossing the road.
McSwain applied breaks in an attempt to avoid striking the dogs when he lost control and the vehicle swung around and while traveling backwards the passenger side of the truck struck the driver's side of a 2020 GMC Terrain driven by Margaret Bush, 66, of Center.
The GMC came to rest on the southbound shoulder while the Ford was able to be pulled back to the northbound shoulder.
No injuries were reported as a result of the crash.
McSwain was issued a citation for wrong side of roadway not passing.
December 22, 2021 - State Highway 7 West was the scene of a two-vehicle hit-and-run crash which resulted in injury to two people involved.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Keith Jones, on December 18, 2021, at 3:08pm a black 2015 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck pulling a yellow 16-foot Bragg trailer driven by Rolando Diez-Diez, 36, was westbound on State Highway 7 near CR 1168.
At that time an unknown driver of a white Chevrolet pickup truck attempted to pass on the left.The truck failed to maintain a single lane and struck the Silverado pickup truck causing Diez to leave the roadway to the right, travel over a culvert, overturn and roll through a fence before coming to rest on its top.
The white Chevrolet veered left and traveled off the roadway to the left where it crossed over two culverts and re-entered the roadway before fleeing the scene of the crash.
Diez and a 13-year-old male child passenger were injured and transported to Nacogdoches Medical Center - Shelby Emergency Department for treatment of their injuries. A 15-year-old male child passenger was not reported to have been injured.
This crash remained under investigation.
December 21, 2021 - U.S. Highway 96 North near CR 3774 was the scene of a major two-vehicle crash involving a Shelby County Sheriff's patrol unit and an SUV.
(Update): According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Taylor Buster, at 3:43am a black 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe driven owned by the Shelby County Sheriff's Department and driven by Joshua Anders, 30, of San Augustine was southbound on U.S. 96 North near CR 3774 when Anders fell asleep.
The Tahoe crossed over into the northbound traffic lane and struck a grey 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Calvin Estes, 24, of Tenaha. The Jeep continued northbound and flipped several times as it left the roadway to the right and finally came to rest on the driver's side of the vehicle.
On the southbound side of the roadway the Tahoe came to rest in some brush.
Center Fire Department personnel worked with Jaws of Life to extricate the driver, a man, and eventually were succesful in assisting Emergency Medical Services personnel in moving the man to a waiting ambulance.
Family members looked on in desperation as the fire personnel worked to rescue their family member. They were both relieved and appreciative of the fire fighters for freeing him.
The deputy was transported by ambulance to Nacogdoches Medical Center - Shelby Emergency Department for treatment of possible injuries. The driver of the Jeep was transported by ambulance to LSU Hospital in Shreveport for treatment of his injuries.
Both vehicles were towed from the scene.
Center Police Department officers were on scene assisting in traffic control.
This crash remains under investigation by the Texas Department of Public Safety.
December 22, 2021 - The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office received a report on Wednesday, December 22, 2021 at approximately 8am, from a resident who lives on Highway 87 North in Center regarding a theft incident.
It was reported that a white male subject in a blue passenger car pulled up in the resident’s driveway and took a fold-up extension ladder from the resident’s property and drove off. The resident got in their vehicle and was able to get photos of the driver and the license plate. The vehicle is a 2016 Kia Forte, blue in color bearing Utah license plate W434EW. The male subject is a white male who appears to be in his mid-to-late 50s.
The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office asks that if you see this vehicle, please contact the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office at (936) 598-5600.
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