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November 27, 2017 - A crash on CR 3754 (Old Airport Road) caused the SUV involved to ignite and burn on November 18, 2017 endangering the lives of those in the vehicle and property nearby.
The Center Fire Department was dispatched to the scene where they extinguished the vehicle and area surrounding, which had caught on fire.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Keith Jones, at 4:38pm a gold 2001 Nissan Pathfinder driven by Mindaye Tura Guga, 39, of Center was westbound on CR 3754.
Guga stated an unknown vehicle ran him off the road; however, no evidence at the scene corroberated his claim. The owner of the residence where the crash occurred, Willie Johnson, did not see or hear another vehicle at the time of the crash.
The Nissan ran off the roadway to the right and Guga overcorrected left, exiting the left side of the roadway. The Nissan then struck a utility trailer owner by Johnson and caught on fire.
No injuries were reported of Guga or his 12-year-old male passenger.
Following field sobriety test it was determined Guga was intoxicated. He was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated with child under 15 years old.
November 22, 2017 - Charles Dearing, Jr., 68, of Center was booked into the Shelby County Jail Wednesday, November 22, 2017 and charged with murder as well as possession of marijuana with a combined bond of $2,800,000.
Dearing is the person of interest in the suspected death of Brandi Wright, 38, of Center. Melissa Crouch, Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, performed the inquest on a body located this week and an autopsy has been ordered.
According to an affidavit and warrant issued on November 17, 2017 Center Police Officers sought to search a property at the 4000 block of County Road 1011 in Shelby County for the body of Brandi Wright who was reported by the Center Police Department (CPD) on November 3, 2017 to be missing.
CPD Det. Stephen Stroud gave probable cause for the search warrant in connection with the missing person/homicide investigation concerning Wright.
An individual who has access to property which connects to the Dearing land noticed a vehicle on November 4, 2017 not normally at that location. The individual recalled the vehicle was one for which the Center Police Department had been searching.
CPD Det. Bobby Walker was able on November 8, 2017 to positively identify the vehicle as belonging to Wright by verifying the color, make, model and license plate number. The car was a 2008 Pontiac G6.
According to the affidavit Det. Walker made contact with Charles Dan Dearing, Jr. on that same day, who stated, Wright brought him the car and left it there as security to repay a debt she owed him. A search warrant was executed on the same day and within the car a mobile phone belonging to Wright was located in the center console of the Pontiac.
Messages between Wright and Dearing were located on the phone, according to the affidavit, and one in particular stated Wright was going to pick up Dearing and "they needed to talk."
The CPD executed a search warrant on November 16, 2017 at the location where the car was found and, according to the affidavit, at that time recovered several large buckets full of marijuana, amongst other things. The affidavit states during an interview of a person of interest in the investigation, it was learned Wright recently had been in possession of "a large bucket of marijuana."
The affidavit's author infers Wright received the bucket of marijuana from Dearing and the debt owed was believed to be for the substance. The affidavit further indicated Wright had been in contact with another individual who she stated by text message "took money from her and she was coming to get it," it is not believed Wright recovered that money.
During the search on November 16, 2017, according to the affidavit, a recent Tyson photo ID of Wright was recovered from the bedroom of Dearing as well as a lighter with a woman's hairband and a strand of hair in Dearing's pick-up truck in the passenger door. A long strand of hair was also found on a log in the backyard, according to the affidavit, with blood also on the log. A pair of "Survivor" man's boots were also located with what appears to have been blood.
The affidavit goes on to say Dearing is a strong suspect/person of interest in the investigation as Wright did not have the money owed Dearing, because said money had been stolen from her and she had no alternate method of payment; and this is suggested as a motive for Dearing to harm Wright.
Dearing remains in the Shelby County Jail with a bond set by Melissa Crouch, Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, in the amount of $1,750,000 for murder and another bond set by LeAnn K. Rafferty, 123rd District Judge, in the amount of $1,050,000 for possession of marijuana.
Related Article:
DA's Office Reports on Location of Wright; Large Quantity of Marijuana
November 20, 2017 - FM 139 and the intersection of FM 2787 was the scene of a hit-and-run two-vehicle collision Sunday, November 19, 2017.
When emergency responders arrived at the scene, only one of the vehicles involved was at the location.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Keith Jones, at 2:35pm a white 2012 Ford F-150 driven by a 16-year-old driver of Joaquin arrived at the intersection of FM 2787 at FM 139 and came to a complete stop.
The 16-year-old then failed to yield right of way while turning left onto FM 139 when the Ford was struck by a green 2003 Chevrolet Silverado with an unidentified driver, due to the driver of the Chevrolet failing to remain at the scene.
The registered owner of the Chevrolet was a William Clayton of Laneville, Texas.
The 16-year-old driver and his passenger Justin Webster, 21, were not reported to have received injuries resulting from the crash.
A citation was issued to the 16-year-old driver of the Ford for failure to yield right of way. The other driver was still being sought at that time.
Trooper Jones was assisted at the scene by Troopers Richard Hill and Jimmy Faulkner as well as Sheriff's Deputies Adam Renfro and Jesse Travis.
November 20, 2017 - County Road 1005 was the location of a house fire at 2:16pm November 13, 2017 where two fire departments joined forces in attempts to save the residence.
When the Center Fire Department arrived at the residence of Darrell and Pam Sanford, smoke could be seen coming from the backside of the house.
As the West Shelby County Volunteer Fire Department arrived on scene flames could be seen escaping from the roof of the house.
While smoke clouded the area surrounding the house, the firemen from both departments worked to extinguish the flames and firemen gained further access to the fire in the attic of the house.
It was discovered the cause of the fire was a barbecue pit which vented into the attic of the residence.
November 20, 2017 - The Shelbyville Volunteer Fire Department responded to a house fire on State Highway 87 just south of County Road 2110 (Cannon Cemetery Road) November 12, 2017 at 10:01pm.
When firemen arrived, smoke was billowing from the back and front of the house. After searching around and within the home, flames could be seen underneath the structure at both the front and back.
The Center Fire Department was dispatched to the scene to assist in putting out the fire. Once the flames were extinguished at both locations the firemen gained further entry into the home with hoses and were able to extinguish any remaining hotspots inside.
It was discovered the origin of the fire was the heating and air conditioning unit.
The home was owned by Joe Bolton and the residents was Latoya Howard.
November 20, 2017 - The Center Fire Department was dispatched to a structure fire in the 500 block of CR 2230 (Neuville Road) on November 10, 2017 at 12:51pm.
When the firemen arrived, heavy amounts of smoke was emanating from the building. A nearby resident began spraying water on the fire using a garden hose previous to the arrival of fire fighters.
According to Center Fire Chief Keith Byndom, the fire was in a back bedroom and was able to be contained in that location.
The firemen prevented further spread of the fire and the cause was not determined at that time.
The owners of the building were determined to be Demetrius and Albert Smith. The resident was Kendrick Boyd.
November 20, 2017 - The Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department responded to a grass fire off of FM 139 south Saturday afternoon. The fire burned about two acres before it was contained. The JVFD would like to remind all Shelby County residents to use caution when burning, and to save burns for days with low winds. A 20 mph wind gust can easily blow burning leaves onto dry, dead grass, and sustained winds as low as 5 mph can spread a fire quickly. The JVFD would also like to tell residents not to hesitate to call 911 if you have something that you even think is an emergency. All seven Shelby County fire departments stand ready to respond when needed.
November 13, 2017 - DeSoto Parish Crime Stoppers Felon of the Week Program is asking for the public’s help in locating/identifying suspect(s) wanted from DeSoto Parish Area.
Dustin C. Weeks of Mansfield, La. Weeks is wanted for Simple Burglary (2 counts). Weeks is described as a white male, 6’1” tall and weighing 196lbs. Weeks is 32 years of age.
DeSoto Parish Crime Stoppers is offering a reward up to $1000.00 for information that results in the suspects arrest, anyone with information is asked to call the Crime Stoppers line at 1-800-505-STOP(7867) all calls are confidential or contact the Desoto Parish Sheriff’s Office at (318)872-3956. Capt. James Clements
November 10, 2017 - Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Troopers investigated this morning a two vehicle fatal crash on US 59, about two miles north of Timpson.
The preliminary crash investigation indicates at approximately 8:40 a.m., a 2006 Freightliner truck tractor semi-trailer was reportedly making a U-Turn on US 59 in an attempt to travel south. A 2009 Ford pickup, also traveling south, struck the side of the trailer being towed by the truck tractor.
The driver of the Kenworth is identified as Jose Luna, 32, from Houston, TX. Luna was not reported as being injured as a result of the crash.
The driver of the Ford is identified as Johnathon Martin Jr., 30, from Timpson. Martin was transported from the scene of the crash to a hospital in Center and was later pronounced deceased.
This crash remains under investigation. No additional information is available at this time.
November 9, 2017 - Residents at Southwood Apartments Center Housing Authority received a loud awakening Thursday, November 9, 2017 when a moving truck plowed into the main office of the facility.
Stacy Williams, who works at the facility, was inside the building as the truck collided with the structure and she said it felt and sounded like a freight train hit the building. She was able to see the truck as it rolled through a fence at the side of the building.
Von Hayes, who also works at the housing complex, had not made it in to work just yet when the crash occurred and her office was where the truck came to rest in the building.
Miguel Da Cruz works maintenance on the grounds and he had just walked out of the building to perform his duties before the truck hit.
"When I came out I saw him trying to get out of the door, but then I went to check my boss to see she was okay because she was still in the building. I guess a bystander came and by the time I got out here he was out with two other people. I was talking to him, making sure he's okay," said Da Cruz.
Emergency personnel with the Center Police Department, Center Fire Department, and Texas Department of Public Safety all responded to the location.
After the driver exited from the vehicle, ACE EMS transported him from the scene to Nacogdoches Medical Center - Shelby Emergency Department to check him for any injuries.
According to Center Police Officer Kenneth King and Center Police Sgt. Ricky King, at 7:18am a Toyota Hino 268 moving truck owned by Moving Guys For Rent and driven by Emil Kariem Walker, 39, of Bossier City, Louisiana was southbound on Southview Circle in Center.
For an unknown reason the Toyota traveled across the northbound traffic lane and left the roadway where it then traveled over a culvert. The truck then struck a dumpster in the parking lot of Here's The Deal where it collided with various other items in the parking lot.
The truck then traveled over several parking blocks in the parking lot and into San Augustine Street before rolling into Southwood Apartments where it collided with a bus stop structure. The truck traveled through a fence and into the side of the office building for the apartment complex causing major damage to the vehicle and building.
Walker was treated and released from the hospital. No citations have been issued at this time and the incident remains under investigation.
Hopkins Wrecker Service pulled the truck from the building and towed it from the scene.
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