Shelby County Today

August 18, 2020 - Shelby County is currently seeing an all-time low of “active” cases of Coronavirus. This is according to Texas Department of State health Services (DSHS) that report any new cases, recoveries, and deaths to the Shelby County Office of Emergency Management.

We continue to report only cases, recoveries, and deaths that DSHS reports to us. We use no other source to report our numbers.

Currently there are 24 active cases in Shelby County. We want to remind everyone that even with the low number of active cases being reported that it is not a time to let your guard down and hope that these numbers do not give anyone a false sense of security.  

COVID-19 is still and will continue to be a highly contagious virus. We still have active cases in all of the Shelby County communities. We continue to receive reports of new cases and that number could start climbing at any time. 

We would like to remind everyone to continue to adhere to the precautionary measures which have been stressed since the beginning of the pandemic.

Please continue to:

• Wash hands often for 20 seconds and encourage others to do the same. Use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are unavailable.

• Wear a cloth face covering in public and during large gatherings.

• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then throw the tissue away.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

• Disinfect surfaces, buttons, handles, knobs, and other places touched often.

• Stay six feet apart from others.

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

• Stay home if you are sick.

Please continue to stay safe and do your part in slowing down the spread of Coronavirus.

Thank you,
Allison Harbison
Shelby County Judge

August 18, 2020 - At 1:23am on Tuesday, August 18, the Joaquin VFD was dispatched to a structure fire in the 100 block of Morris Street.

Autom mutual aid was dispatched from Des Fire Dis #1. Firefighters arrived to find a single story, wood frame, brick veneer home with fire venting from the roof on two sides. An aggressive interior attack resulted in a quick knockdown of the fire. Fire damage was limited to the master bedroom and bathroom area of the home, with heavy smoke damage to the rest of the structure.

After conducting salvage and overhaul operations, fire units cleared the scene and returned to the station at 4:33 a.m.

August 16, 2020 - FM 2026 (Folsom Chapel Road) was the scene of a major two-vehicle collision which resulted in multiple fatalities Sunday, August 16, 2020, at 5:40pm.

Emergency personnel moved in on the 1400 block of FM 2026 just past CR 4293, and quickly began helping those involved in the crash. 

(Update): According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, as a result of the ongoing investigation, investigators have determined that at the time of the crash, the red 2010 Toyota driven by Michael Masterson, 30, of Center was traveling east in the westbound lane of FM 2026. Mackenzie Parks, 15, of Tenaha, the driver of the grey 2019 GMC, was traveling west and reportedly took evasive action to the left to avoid a collision. Masterson also took evasive action and drove into the eastbound lane, where the two vehicles struck head-on.

The Toyota remained in the roadway and the GMC came to rest in a ditch.

EMS, fire personnel and Sheriff's Deputies worked to extricate everyone that remained in the vehicles following the crash, and performed life-saving measures on several involved. 

A landing zone was established in the middle of the roadway where Michael Masterson and Mason Parks, a 14-year-old minor male passenger from the GMC, were life-flighted by helicopters to LSU in Shreveport. 

A 2-year-old, Mason Masterson; 4-year-old, Ella Masterson; and 10-year-old, Victoria Hogan were passengers in the Toyota and they were unable to be revived at the scene. A Sandra Parks, 60, of Tenaha who was in the GMC also lost her life in the collision and the 15-year-old driver, Mackenzie Parks later succumbed to her injuries at the hospital.

Justices of the Peace Donna Hughes and Marla Denby were on scene and performed the inquests.

Watson & Sons Funeral Home transported from the crash.

This crash remains under investigation by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Additional information is not available at this time.

GoFundMe accounts have been set up for the benefit of those involved in this incident to help with funeral costs and medical expenses. They are at the following links:

Sandy & Mackenzie Parks
https://gf.me/v/c/xkhm/sandy-amp-mackenzie-parks

Masterson Family
https://gf.me/v/c/xkhm/nx8x5-masterson-family

Victoria Hogan
https://gf.me/u/yrpa2f

August 14, 2020 - The Shelby County Emergency Management office reports as of 8:46am on Friday, August 14, 2020, TxDSHS has reported 1 new case and the cumulative case count is now 406. The death count is 14 for Shelby County. (The DSHS website dashboard shows 18 deaths for Shelby County as of Aug 5th.)

According to the state's algorithm to determine recoveries, nine new recoveries were reported and the total of recoveries increases to 346. The number of active cases is 46.

Breakdown of cumulative cases by zip code and ages:

Active Cases in each zip code: (Change in Data)

Center (75935) - 25 (2 recoveries) 
Joaquin (75954) - 7 
Shelbyville (75973) - 3 (1 new)
Tenaha (75974) - 7 (3 recoveries)
Timpson (75975) - 4 (4 recoveries)

Cumulative Cases in each zip code:

Center (75935) - 271 
Joaquin (75954) - 25 
Shelbyville (75973) - 25 (1 new)
Tenaha (75974) - 50
Timpson (75975) - 35

Ages of Confirmed Cases:

Ages 1 to 20: 37 cases
Ages 21 to 40: 133 cases (1 new)
Ages 41 to 60: 125 cases, 4 deaths
Ages 61 to 80: 70 cases, 4 deaths
Ages 81 to 100: 34 cases, 6 deaths 
Age unknown: 7 cases