Shelby County Today

August 18, 2017 - A truck lost its load of logs at the intersection of Loop 500 and U.S. Highway 96 South Friday, August 18, 2017 causing traffic delay for travelers on the loop.

According to Center Police Officer Spencer Anderson, sometime before 9:30am a white Western Star 4900SF truck-tractor owned by ASE Logging Contractors Inc. driven by Alvie Carroll Yates, 71, of Center was northbound on U.S. Highway 96 South.

As the truck made a right turn onto Loop 500 Officer Anderson says Yates took the turn too fast and the truck-tractor turned over, losing its load of logs.

ACE EMS checked Yates at the scene and he left by private vehicle.

Additional units with the Center PD directed traffic and the Center Fire Department assisted at the scene.

A log loader was brought to the scene and transported the spilled logs to another trailer. The log loader then was used to flip the truck upright before it was towed from the scene.

August 18, 2017 - Shelby County Sheriff Willis Blackwell reports that on August 2, 2017, Weeks and Ashley Crawford contacted Investigator Fears at SCSO to request assistance in locating their dog, Marucci, a French Mastiff that had gone missing or possibly stolen. The Crawford’s stated that they had been out of town until late night of August 1, 2017 and had only learned of their dog being missing at that point.

When the Crawfords went out of town for vacation, Marucci was able to get out of the fence and wander the neighborhood. The dog ended up in a neighbor’s yard and the neighbor posted on Facebook looking for the owners, or someone who could take the dog because she could not care for it. Preslie Nichols, 26, of Timpson responded and witness statements show that Nichols picked the dog up from the neighbor on July 26, 2017, to which Nichols confirmed.

When Nichols was first questioned, on August 2, 2017, she stated that the dog was run over and she had found the dog in the woods when she went in search of the source of a dead animal smell. Nichols told Investigators that she lied about the dog running off because she did not want to be responsible for the cost of the dog because it had died.

Investigator Fears and Brown were able to locate the dog and informed the Crawford’s so that they could retrieve the animal if they wanted, for burial.

After investigating the case and reviewing several witness statements, it was found that Nichols had tied the dog out, in a sunny part of the yard with no water or shade for better part of the day, beginning at about 10-11am and lasting till late evening, with one witness stating that he could hear the dog panting and in distress at around 12pm, but assumed the owner would be back shortly.

When Nichols was confronted with the new information, Nichols did confirm that she picked the dog up the evening of July 26 and that she had tied the dog up outside on July 27 for approximately three hours in temperatures reaching 93 degrees and the humidity reaching 94%, but claimed there was shade and water, despite witness statements claiming otherwise. Nichols stated that she had left her home at about 12pm to go to Nacogdoches to watch a movie and had returned around 3pm and the dog was dead. Nichols then dragged the dog with a four wheeler to the woods located next to her house.

Nichols was arrested on August 16, 2017 for Animal Cruelty (MA) for failing to care for the dog adequately or to make specific accommodations for the dog resulting in its death.

Nichols was arraigned by JP1 Melissa Crouch on August 16, 2017 and was released with a $2,500 PR bond.

August 17, 2017 - State Highway 7 West was the scene of a crash where a truck-tractor became lodged in a wooded area  just over two miles from the Nacogdoches County line and the occupants were trapped.

First responders gained access to the truck through a meadow on the other side of the tree line and cut a path through the brush to reach the trapped men.

According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Jesse Fountain, at 6am a red 2015 Volvo truck-tractor driven by Johnny Morris, 57, of Galveston was eastbound on State Highway 7.

The truck veered to the right and struck a guardrail and it pulled the truck off into the ditch and then into the tree line where it came to rest.

Morris and his passenger Douglas Lee McLendon, 51, of Vidor were transported from the scene by ACE EMS to Ncogdoches Medical Center - Center Emergency Department for treatment of minor injuries.

No citations were issued at the time of the crash.

August 17, 2017 - After the completion of a recent speed study and reevaluation on a portion of roadway located on SH 7 East, TxDOT is recommending for approval the speed limit be lowered from 75 mph to 65 mph.

The section of SH 7 East that will be affected includes .3 miles east of SL 224 in Nacogdoches to Martinsville. The change also includes just east of Martinsville and continues on SH 7 through San Augustine County and will end at the Center city limits in Shelby County.

TxDOT is required to evaluate speed limits periodically every five to 10 years. Speed studies are also conducted if requests are received on roadways that have not recently been evaluated. TxDOT received several requests for a new speed study on SH 7. As a result of that speed study, the Lufkin District is submitting for approval the recommendation that the speed limit be lowered.

A speed study consists of radar samples, an accident analysis and a review of existing roadway conditions. TxDOT uses a method referred to as the 85th percentile to determine speed limits. This method represents the speed at which the majority of drivers are traveling at or below for a particular section of highway. The 85th percentile is determined by radar samples of free flowing vehicles on an average week day during fair weather. The accident analysis consists of a review of the accident history over the past three years plus the current year.  A thorough review of the accident history will reveal any patterns if present.

If the speed study reveals a reduction in speed is justified, recommendations are submitted for approval. The Texas Transportation Commission decides speed limits in Texas and if approved a minute order is issued establishing the new speed limit.

For more information, contact Rhonda.Oaks@txdot.gov or (936) 633-4395.