Shelby County Today

May 28, 2017 - It is no longer necessary for Paxton Water customers to boil their drinking water.

May 23, 2017 - Due to line break, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has required our water System, Paxton Water, to notify customers of the need to boil their water prior to consumption. This is for the customers that were out of water on May 23, 2017 in the Paxton area, and surrounding county roads.

To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking, and making ice should be boiled and cooled prior to use. The water should be brought to a vigorous, rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes. In lieu of boiling, you may purchase bottled water or obtain water from some other suitable source.

When it is no longer necessary to boil the water, the water system officials will notify you that the water is safe for consumption. Instructions to discontinue boiling will be issued in the same manner as this notice. If you have any questions concerning this matter, you may contact Vince Di Verdi at 936-590-9177 or 936-332-7683.

May 24, 2017 - U.S. 59 between Timpson and Tenaha was the scene of a three-vehicle crash involving a school bus, 18-wheeler and dump truck Wednesday, May 24, 2017.

A school bus was stopped to pick up two students from a residence when the incident occurred. The homeowner where the children lived stated his kids would normally have been sitting in the back of the bus once they had boarded.

Personnel with the Shelby County Sheriff's Department, Timpson Volunteer Fire Department and Tenaha Volunteer Fire Department were immediately dispatched to the scene of the incident. Once on scene, traffic was diverted from the area where it could be in Tenaha and Timpson.

According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Jesse Fountain, at around 6:30am a white 1995 Mack truck owned by O'Dirt out of Alto, Tx. and driven by Benjamin Salazar, 55 of Wells, TX, was northbound when he failed to see a school bus that was stopped to load students.

Salazar stated the sun was causing difficulty with his visibility. When Salazar noticed the school bus was stopped, he hit his brakes and the Mack truck started sliding in the outside lane.

The Mack came into contact with a blue Kenworth truck-tractor owned by Valley Trucking Co. Inc. out of Brownsville, Tx. and driven by Abel Longoria, III, 41 of Brownsville, TX, that had stopped in the inside lane for the school bus. After the Mack glanced off the Kenworth, it continued forward and struck the rear of the stopped school bus.

The Timpson ISD Bluebird school bus was driven by Sabra Sessions, 28 of Nacogdoches, with five minor passengers on board.

Two of the students on board were transported by ACE EMS to Nacogdoches Medical Center - Center Emergency Department for treatment of non life threatening injuries. The three other students were also transported by ACE EMS as a precaution.

Sessions was transported by Timpson Volunteer Ambulance Service for treatment of unknown injuries.

Salazar was issued a citation for fail to stop for loading/unloading school bus.

TxDOT arrived at the scene and helped clean spilled oil and fuel from the roadway.

The crash remains under investigation at this time.

DPS Trooper Fountain was assisted at the scene by DPS Trooper Cpl. Jimmy Faulkner.

May 21, 2017 - FM 417 was the scene of a single-vehicle crash Friday, May 19 resulting from the combination of roadway gravel and speed.

Eyewitness accounts shared the gravel had recently been added to the road and other drivers were having difficulty maintaining control.

The Shelbyville Volunteer Fire Department and Center Fire Department were dispatched to the scene. Jaws of Life was used to gain better access to both individuals in the vehicle by removing doors to better extricate them.

According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Jesse Fountain, at 8am a grey 2005 GMC Yukon driven by Barbara Cagle, 58, of Shelbyville was southbound on FM 417 at CR 2335. Due to unsafe speed, the Yukon traveled across some loose gravel in a left hand curve causing the vehicle to lose traction. 

Cagle over corrected the Yukon to the right, causing it to travel off the roadway into the barrow ditch where the vehicle flipped several times before coming to rest on its top facing the roadway. 

Cagle was flown by Life Air Rescue helicopter to LSU Hospital in Shreveport for treatment. Her passenger Joyce Walker, 76, was transported by ACE EMS to Nacogdoches Medical Center - Center Emergency Department for possible injuries.

Assisting Trooper Fountain with the investigation was Trooper Cpl. Jimmy Faulkner.

May 19, 2017 - FM 947 just under three miles from Tenaha was the scene of a single-vehicle crash resulting in an arrest on May 16, 2017.

According to Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) State trooper Taylor Buster, at 5:19pm a black 2007 GMC 1500 driven by Samuel Swann, 30, of Center was westbound on FM 947 when the truck left the roadway to the left and Swann over corrected right causing the truck to travel back across both traffic lanes. 

The truck traveled off the roadway again to the right in a side skid before flipping and coming to rest on its top with major damage to the vehicle.

Swann was arrested for driving while intoxicated and was transported to the Shelby County Jail. Swann and his passenger, Britney Stewart, 25, were not reported to have received injury as a result of the crash.

The crash was investigated by DPS State Trooper Richard Hill, assisted by DPS State Troopers Taylor Buster, Sean Smith and Justin Sikes.