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December 7, 2017 - County Road 1000 just outside of Center was the scene of a single-vehicle crash which left a vehicle on its side in a ditch.
Emergency responders with Center Fire Department, Shelby County Sheriff's Department, ACE EMS and Center Police Department all responded to the scene from which the driver was already gone when they arrived.
An eyewitness to the incident was able to report to authorities on what occurred and the circumstances of the driver no longer being at the location.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Richard Hill, at 4:30pm a black 2002 Chevrolet Suburban driven by Juanita Campos, 41, of Center was westbound on County Road 1000 at an unsafe speed.
Campos lost control of the Suburban causing it to travel off the roadway to the right and up and embankment where it came to rest on the driver's side.
Campos was transported by private vehicle to CHI St. Luke's Health Memorial for treatment of unknown injuries.
She was issued citations for unsafe speed and no driver's license.
December 7, 2017 - County Road 4310 was the scene of a two-vehicle crash involving a pickup truck and an 18-wheeler hauling oilfield equipment Friday, December 1, 2017.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Keith Jones, at 3:43pm a white 2013 Kenworth truck-tractor owned by Redback Coil Tubing LLC. and driven by Gilberto Perez-Juarez, 54, of Carthage was southbound on CR 4310.
As the Kenworth met a black 2003 Ford F-350 driven by Waylon Griffith Jr., 50, of Tenaha traveling in the opposite direction. The Ford stopped and the Kenworth failed to give one half of the roadway as the left side of the trailer the truck-tractor was hauling struck the left side of the Ford, causing damage.
No injuries were reported as a result of the crash at the scene. Perez-Juarez was issued a citation for fail to give half of roadway.
Trooper Jones was assisted at the scene by Trooper Sean Smith.
December 5, 2017 - Just a reminder, the Capt. Jesse Amason Camp # 282 Sons of Confederate Veterans will meet December 9, 2017 at the Masonic Lodge on Hwy 96, south of town, at 6:30 PM for our Christmas party. If you get to the loop you have gone too far. The Carthage Camp and others have been invited to join us. Please bring a covered dish.
December 1, 2017 - The Texas Department of Transportation will be replacing trhe bridge on CR 4293. Barricades will go up on Friday, December 8 and work will begin Monday, December 11. Construction will take about two months to complete. If you travel this area, please find an alternatre route.
December 1, 2017 - Just before the Shelby/Nacogdoches County line a driver lost control of the vehicle she was driving and crashed just beneath a bridge on FM 138 Thursday, November 30, 2017.
Emergency personnel were dispatched to the location of the driver and ACE EMS transported her from the location.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Jonathan Stinson, at around 7:20am a red 2004 Dodge Neon driven by Andrea Kalise Starghill, 43, of Center was eastbound on FM 138 when she fell asleep. The Neon traveled off the roadway to the left and struck a guardrail on the passenger side, causing major damage to the vehicle and guardrail.
The car continued down an embankment alongside a bridge and came to a stop just before a waterway and facing southwest.
ACE EMS transported Stargill with unknown non-life threatening injuries to Nacogdoches Medical Center - Shelby Emergency Department for treatment.
No citations were reported at the time of the crash. Trooper Stinson was assisted at the scene by Troopers Dustin Ramos and Jesse Fountain as well as Garrison Police Chief Tim Barton.
Garrison Volunteer Fire Department firemen directed traffic at the location until the scene was clear.
November 29, 2017 - The following criminal defendants failed to appear for a felony arraignment hearing in the 123rd Judicial District Court, Shelby County, Texas:
- Raul Lara-Ortega
- Bruce Edward Cohoon
- Mario Garza-Cuapio
- Richarde Gabriel Ennett
- Samantha Jane Knight
- Jeffery Scott Wright
- Kennis Keith Henderson
- Lynn Dale Taylor
As a result, District Judge LeAnn Kay Rafferty ordered each defendant's bond be forfeited and that a capias issue for the arrest of each defendant. Each defendant immediately must contact the Court Manager, Karen Warr, 936-598-9928 to schedule a court appearance.
November 28, 2017 - State Highway 87 South at the intersection of FM 414 was the scene of a two-vehicle crash in a construction zone Monday, November 27, 2017.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Dustin Ramos, at 8:15am a silver 2012 Chevrolet Equinox driven by Ben. J. Brittain, 84, of Shelbyville was southbound on State Highway 87 South at the intersection of FM 414.
As the Chevrolet was traveling through a construction zone, a yellow 2008 Caterpillar road paving machine driven by Shadrick Earl Jenkins, 29, of San Augustine was exiting a private drive on the right side of the roadway and failed to yield right of way to Brittain.
The Chevrolet's front distributive struck the left back quarter of the Caterpillar causing damage. Both vehicles came to rest in the roadway, the sun was a possible factor in causing visibility issues.
Brittain was transported from the scene to Nacogdoches Medical Center - Shelby Emergency Department for treatment. He was later transported to a hospital in Tyler where he is currently in ICU.
No citations have been issued at this time.
November 28, 2017 - In late October 2017, Brandi Wright , a white female of Center, Texas was reported missing to the Center Police Department. During the course of the missing persons investigation, her car was located at a residence on County Road 1012 in Shelby County, Texas. Investigators from the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office and Center Police Department, after a search warrant was issued to enter the property, responded to the address and had the vehicle towed to the Center Police Department, where it was processed by a DPS forensic team.
A secondary search warrant was obtained to search the property which included approximately 60 acres. Investigators for the District Attorney’s Office, Center Police Department, San Augustine Sheriff’s Department and Texas Parks and Wildlife executed the secondary search warrant on November 17, 2017. During this search, Investigators recovered several 5- gallon buckets of marijuana, an industrial size trashcan of marijuana, a large plastic tote of marijuana, 1,750 marijuana plants and implements that were clearly utilized for the cultivation of marijuana.
As a result, the resident, Charles Dan Dearing jr, a 69-year-old white male was arrested and charged with Possession of Marijuana Felony- 2. During his arraignment on the Possession of Marijuana charge, Mr. Dearing requested to speak with investigators and disclosed where Brandi Wright’s remains could be found on the 60 acres.
Investigators from the District Attorney’s Office, Center Police Department, San Augustine Sheriff’s Department and the Texas Rangers executed a third search warrant on the property where the remains of Brandi Wright were exhumed and transported to Tyler for an autopsy. Mr. Dearing was subsequently charged with Murder Felony- 1. Due to the ongoing investigation of the Murder, no more information can be released at this time.
Investigator Joey Haley
123rd District Attorney’s Office
Related article:
Shelby County Man Charged with Murder, Possession of Marijuana
November 28, 2017 - Brooks Street in Center was the scene of a vehicle versus house collision Sunday, November 26, 2017 from which the driver was arrested.
Center Police Officers and ACE EMS arrived at the scene where a vehicle had apparently driven into a porch at the front of a house.
According to Center Police Officer Brian Wright, at around 8am a gold Pontiac G6 driven by Megan Tipps, 28, of Timpson was northbound on Brooks Street.
Tipps was disoriented and turned right into a driveway she mistook for a different one, and struck the porch and front of a house.
The side of the house which the Pontiac collided with was not currently occupied; however, the other side of the house was.
Tipps was arressted and has been charged with driving while intoxicated.
November 13, 2017 - The City of Center Public Water System, PWS #2100001, will be conducting water system maintenance beginning January 1, 2018, and lasting until January 31, 2018. The system will be switching to free chlorine as its main disinfection.
This maintenance which is not a requirement, but is the recommended course of action set by the TCEQ/EPA for the accumulation of disinfection byproducts.
This is a routine maintenance procedure performed to help reduce unstable water conditions in our system and insure the highest quality of water being delivered to our customers.
During this maintenance period you may notice an odor or slight discoloration, but the safety of the water will not be affected. City maintenance crews and the Fire Department will also be aggressively flushing hydrants throughout the City’s distribution system.
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact our Public Works Department at 936-598-5241.
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