Shelby County Today

August 30, 2018 - On August 21, 2018, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) required our public water system Sand Hills Water Supply, PWS ID 2100013 to issue a Boil Water Notice (BWN) to inform our customers that due to the presence of contaminants or an interruption in service, water from our system must be boiled prior to consumption. This is only for the customers that have been on a Boil Water Notice.

Our system has taken the necessary corrective actions to restore adequate pressure, disinfectant levels, and/or bacteriological quality and has provided TCEQ with testing results that indicate that the water no longer requires boiling as of August 30, 2018.

If you have questions, contact Derek DiVerdi at 936-332-7683 or Sand Hills Water Supply at 936-590-9032.

August 29, 2018 - A Constable Precinct 3 investigation recently led to a multi-agency involved arrest of two following the discovery of narcotics in the possession of the suspects.

According to Roy Cheatwood, Shelby County Constable Precinct 3, he has recently been assisting DeSoto Parish Sheriff's Department in the search for several stolen guns.

While following up on that information after the recovery of one handgun, Constable Cheatwood was interviewing two individuals at their residence when he noted a vehicle at the scene and ran its license plate number. Cheatwood stated the plate came back to a different vehicle.

With suspicion of the vehicle being stolen, a search warrant was acquired with the assistance of the Shelby County District Attorney's Office.

Representatives of the Shelby County District Attorney's Office, Constable Precinct 3 Roy Cheatwood, Constable Precinct 1 Zach Warr, Constable Precinct 4 Jake Metcalf, Texas Department of Public Safety State Troopers - Keith Jones, Jesse Fountain, and Taylor Buster, and a DeSoto Parish K-9 unit all went to the residence at 9541 FM 947 in Tenaha.

While several individuals were detained outside of the residence, the DeSoto K-9 was used to search the house, leading to the discovery of narcotics by District Attorney Investigator Joey Haley and Constable Metcalf.

Recovered from within the residence were several prescriptions not belonging to anyone living there including Prozac, Xanax, Hydrocodone, Caffeine tablets, as well as methamphetamine. Additionally taken as evidence were a .380 caliber handgun and several cellular phones.

Arrested at the residence were Steven McCoy, 25, of Beaumont for possession of a controlled substance, state jail felony; possession of a controlled substance, third degree felony; and felon in possession of a firearm. Tina McCoy, 48, of Tenaha was also arrested for possession of a controlled substance, state jail felony.

Constable Cheatwood extended appreciation to the Shelby County District Attorney's Office, Constable Warr and Constable Metcalf, Texas Department of Public Safety, and DeSoto Parish Sheriff Jayson Richardson and his department, as well as the citizens for their help.

August 24, 2018 - The jury that has been summoned for Monday, August 27, 2018 for the 123rd District Court, Honorable Judge Leann K Rafferty presiding, has been cancelled due to the scheduled cases being resolved or passed. Anyone receiving a summons for that day is released from jury service until they receive a future summons.

August 16, 2018 - Roy Cheatwood, Shelby County Constable for Precinct 3, was recently informed of a stolen bus from Center when he was contacted by an acquaintance of the owner who expected Cheatood would have a knowledge of the area.

According to Constable Cheatwood, the missing vehicle was a yellow 1992 International School bus, had been gone for 2-3 weeks. As Constable Cheatwood, accompanied by Precinct 1 Constable Zach Warr, searched into Panola County their efforts garnered positive results.

Constables Cheatwood reports, he and Warr were on CR 414 in Panola County where they discovered a yellow school bus, resembling the missing one, on a property that had several other vehicles parked. Upon making this discovery, the constables reached out to the Panola County Sheriff's Department to assist them in their find.

Information uncovered in the investigation suggested the individuals were familiar to the Shelby County Sheriff's Department therefore they contacted Sheriff Willis Blackwell along with Investigator Del Birdwell who both traveled to the property. 

It was determined the school bus at the location was the one being sought by the constables. A pickup truck on the land was also found to have been stolen out of Harris County. Both vehicles were towed from the property and a male and female were taken into custody by the Panola County Sheriff's Department.

Once arrest information is available it will be reported here.

Constable Cheatwood expressed appreciation to Constable Precinct 1 Zack Warr, Panola County Sheriff's Department and investigators, as well as Sheriff Willis Blackwell and Investigator Del Birdwell in solving the theft of these vehicles.

In another investigation earlier in August, Constable Cheatwood reports the recovery of another stolen vehicle in Joaquin.

According to Constable Cheatwood, on August 9, 2018 a Detective from Beaumont was in the area searching for the vehicle. Constables Cheatwood and Warr met with the Detective and after learning a possible name of an individual involved, a phone call was made by Cheatwood and the vehicle was located in a Joaquin junk yard.

Constable Cheatwood reports the SUV had been stripped previous to being taken to the junk yard. This investigation continues.