Shelby County Today

October 16, 2015 - St John Baptist Church, Tenaha, Texas will be having their 138th church anniversary with the Reverend Anthony Jackson and Mt Dena Baptist Church will be our special guest. Sunday, October 25, 2015 at 2:30 pm.

National Weather Service Shreveport, La
3:28pm CDT Thu Oct 15, 2015

October 15, 2015 - A cold front will move across the area early Friday bringing gusty northerly winds and reinforcing the dry air mass already in place. The combination of afternoon minimum relative humidity values below 30%, wind speeds gusting up to 20MPH, and dry vegetation will lead to high fire danger area wide. Wind speeds should diminish during the weekend; but, a lack of rainfall will keep dry fuels and low values in place through the weekend.

The fire weather watch is in effect from Friday morning through Sunday evening for all of Southeast Oklahoma, Southwest and Southern Arkansas, East Texas, and Northwest and North Central Louisiana.

Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is currently banned in all counties and parishes in the four state region.

A fire weather watch means that critical fire weather conditions are forecast to occur. Listen for later forecasts and possible Red Flag Warning.

October 15, 2015 - The Shelby County grand jury for the July Term of the 123rd Judicial District Court met Tuesday, October 13, 2015 and after hearing 52 cases, indicted all presented including cases involving former Shelby County educators.

Johanna Grace Vickers was indicted for 18 second degree felony counts over a course of three separate dates. Total charges include: sexual assault - child victim (6 counts), indecency with a child by contact (3 counts), and improper relationship between educator and student (9 counts). The sexual assault - child victim charges, allege incidents on or about March 28, 2015, April 27, 2015, and May 9, 2015 with a child who was then and there younger than 17 years of age. The indecency with a child by contact alleges on or about March 28, 2015, April 27, 2015, and May 9, 2015 the defendant caused the child who was then and there younger than 17 years of age to engage in sexual contact. The improper relationship between educator and student alleges on or about March 28, 2015, April 27, 2015, and May 9, 2015 the defendant who was an employee of a public secondary school, to-wit: Shelbyville High School, did then and there engage in sexual intercourse and deviate sexual intercourse with a person who was enrolled in the said Shelbyville High School. It also alleges the defendant engaged in sexual contact with the person who was enrolled in the said Shelbyville High School.

Jennifer Rhodes Cassell was indicted for improper relationship between educator and student, second degree felony, and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, third degree felony. The indictment alleges on or about August 5, 2015 the defendant did then and there, while the defendant was an employee of a public secondary school, to-wit: Center High School, intentionally and knowingly engage in sexual intercourse with a person who was enrolled in the said Center High School. The indictment for tampering with or fabricating physical evidence alleges on or about August 5, 2015 the defendant did then and there, knowing that an investigation or official proceeding was in progress, to-wit: a police investigation, intentionally or knowingly destroy records, to-wit: deleted cell phone communications, with intent to impair its availability as evidence in the official proceedings.

Deron Vodre Bowlds was indicted for two charges: aggravated kidnapping, first degree felony, and assault - family violence - occlusion, second degree felony. The indictment for aggravated kidnapping alleges on or about June 30, 2015, Bowlds did then and there, intentionally or knowingly abduct Jessica Barber, by restricting the movements of Barber without her consent so as to interfere substantially with her liberty, by confining her with the intent to prevent her liberation, by using or threatening to use deadly force, namely, by participating in holding the victim against her will after she had been struck in the face resulting in serious bodily injury as well as impeded her breathing by choking her around the neck, rendering her incapable of escape and/or defense. The indictment for assault - family violence - occlusion alleges Bowlds did then and there on June 30, 2015 intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly cause bodily injury to Jessica Barber a person whom the defendant has or had had a dating relationship, as described by Section 71.0021 (b), Family Code, by intentionally knowingly, or recklessly impeding the normal breathing or circulation of the blood of Barber by applying pressure to the throat or neck and/or blocking the nose or mouth of Barber.

Joey Walker Zorn was indicted for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, second degree felony. The indictment alleges on or about July 1, 2015 Zorn did then and there intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly cause bodily injury to Timothy Wesley Zorn by threatening to kill him, and the defendant did then and there use or exhibit a deadly weapon, to-wit: .22 Marlin Rifle, during the commission said assault.

Stephen Henry Hagler was indicted for two charges: aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury, second degree felony, and injury to a child, elderly or disabled individual, first degree felony. The indictments allege on or about June 11, 2015, Hagler did then and there, intentionally or knowingly cause serious bodily injury to Ann Hagler by beating and striking her in the head several times with his fist. The second charge for injury to a child, elderly or disabled individual is due to the individual being 65 years of age or older.

Joseph Randell Gipson was indicted for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, second degree felony. The indictment alleges on or about December 3, 2014, Gipson did then and there intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly cause bodily injury to Eva Lewing by hitting her in the arm, and the defendant did then and there use or exhibit a deadly weapon to-wit: a board, during the commission of said assault.

Elizabeth Ann Suell was indicted for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon,, first degree felony. The indictment alleges on or about April 8, 2015, Suell did then and there, intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly cause serious bodily injury to Travis Wayne Patton, Sr. by stabbing him in his left arm, and the defendant did then and there use or exhibit a deadly weapon, to-wit: knife, during the commission of said assault, and the said Patton, Sr. was a person with whom the defendant has or has had a dating relationship, as described by Section 71.0021 (b), Family Code.

Preston Malone was indicted for two charges: evading arrest, third degree felony, and abandoning or endangering a child, state jail felony. The indictment alleges on or about December 27, 2014, Malone did then and there, while using a vehicle, intentionally flee from Sgt. Scott Burkhalter, a person the defendant knew was a peace officer who was attempting to lawfully arrest or detain the defendant. During the course of the alleged incident, the defendant did then and there, intentionally, knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence, engage in conduct that placed a child younger then 15 years of age, in imminent danger of death, bodily injury, or physical or mental impairment, by evading from the police in a vehicle and not properly restraining the said child in the vehicle.

Dakota Lee Amburn, Taunua Reenee Amburn, Austin Bryan Estes, Taylor Kathleen Hodges, and Linda Ann Parent were each indicted for hindering apprehension or prosecution, third degree felony. The indictment alleges on or about December 29, 2014, each aforementioned defendant did then and there, with the intent to hinder the arrest, prosecution, conviction, or punishment of Dustin Estes for the offense of burglary of a building, harbor or conceal Dustin Estes.

Caddrius Xzavian Evans, Travor Hubbard, and Tony Pernell McCollister were indicted for burglary of a habitation, second degree felony. The indictment alleges on or about December 8, 2014, each aforementioned defendant then and there, intentionally or knowingly entered a habitation, without the effective consent of James Hicks and Nathaniel Hicks, the owner thereof, and attempted to commit or committed theft of property, to-wit: Sony Playstation 4 game console with controller, Playstation 4 games, X-Box One Advanced Warfare Edition console with controller, X-Box One games, Kimber Custom II Semi-Automatic 45 caliber pistol owned by James Hicks and Nathaniel Hicks.

Tony Ray Smith, Jr. was indicted for possession of a controlled substance, second degree felony. The indictment alleges on or about May 30, 2015, Smith, Jr. then and there, intentionally and knowingly possessed a controlled substance, namely, methamphetamine, in an amount of four grams or more but less than 200 grams, by aggregate weight. Smith, Jr. was also indicted for evading arrest, third degree felony. The indictment alleges on or about May 30, 2015, the defendant used a vehicle to flee from Investigator Kevin Windham, a person the defendant knew was a peace officer who was attempting to lawfully arrest or detain the defendant.

Curtis Bryan Estes was indicted for burglary of a building, a state jail felony. It alleges on or about November 10, 2014, Estes then and there, intentionally or knowingly entered a building or a portion of a building, without the effective consent of Regency Energy Partners, the owner thereof, and attempted to commit or committed theft of property, to-wit: (1) Galenfeha-GLFH-1240-CW Battery, owned by Regency Energy Partners.

Larry Bruce Hendricks was indicted for theft, a state jail felony. It alleges on or about December 4, 2014, Hendricks did then and there, stole property, to-wit: a propane torch including 2 bottles, hoses and gauges, a brown welding hood, approximately 200 ft. of welding leads, a diamond plate tool box with assorted tools, booster cables, 2 boxes of welding rods, a 6 ft. box blade for tractor, 1-5 gallon bucket of hydraulic oil, 1-red metal gas can, 1 receiver hitch with a two inch trailer ball, trailer dolly, grease gun, come a longs, 6 bags of sheet metal screws, 2 round bales of hay, of the value of $1,500 or more but less than $20,000, from Jimmy McCauley, the owner thereof, without the effective consent of the owner namely, Jimmy McCauley.

Joe Jr. Parks, III was indicted on burglary of a habitation, second degree felony. The indictment alleges on or about June 13, 2015, the defendant did then and there, intentionally and knowingly enter a habitation, without the consent of Joe Parks, II, the owner thereof, and attempted to commit or committed theft of property, to-wit: food, owned by Joe Parks, II.

Karla Ruth Standfield was indicted for theft, a state jail felony. The indictment alleges on or about December 10, 2014 the defendant stole property, to-wit: two stainless and aluminum meat lockers, nine aluminum radiators, farm all tractor, welding machine, acetylene torch tips, of the value of $1,500 or more but less than $20,000, from Herman L. Johnson, Jr., the owner thereof, without Johnson's consent.

Stephanie Louise Jackson was indicted for two charges: tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, third degree felony, and possession of a controlled substance, state jail felony. The indictments allege on or about November 17, 2014, Jackson did then and there, intentionally or knowingly possess a controlled substance, namely, methamphetamine, in an amount of less than one gram, by aggregate weight and on the same day did then and there, knowing that an official proceeding was in progress, to-wit: a traffic stop, did then and there, intentionally or knowingly conceal drugs, to-wit: place methamphetamine in a fountain drink with intent to impair it's legibility or availability as evidence in an official proceeding.

Jerry Glynn Bell was indicted for two charges: burglary of a habitation, second degree felony, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The indictment alleges on or about January 19, 2015 the defendant did then and there intentionally, knowingly enter a habitation, without the effective consent of Airiel Burleson, the owner of thereof, and attempted to commit or committed an assault against Charles Edward IV. The indictment alleges Bell caused bodily injury to Edward IV, by striking him with his fist multiple times in the facial area, and the defendant did then and there use or exhibit a deadly weapon, to-wit: a knife, during the commission of said assault.

(Dates in parenthesis indicate the date of the alleged incident)
Geana Sue Cheshire, Possession of Controlled Substance, state jail felony (April 18, 2015)
Thomas Justin Brown, Possession of Controlled Substance, state jail felony (October 16, 2014)
Jason Madison Samford, Evading Arrest, third degree felony (December 8, 2014)
Gregory Frazier, Possession of a Controlled Substance, state jail felony (December 12, 2014)

(Cases filed on information)
Deron Vodre Bowlds, Aggravate Kidnapping (Filed October 8, 2015)

October 14, 2015 - A house fire south of Shelbyville resulted in a total loss for Melissa Nichols Olsen and Thomas Spears on Sunday, October 11, 2015. The Shelbyville Volunteer Fire Department (SVFD) was dispatched at 3:07pm to the fire located just over a mile south of FM 139.

When the firemen arrived at 3:25pm, the house was fully involved and the two Shelbyville Volunteer firemen to arrive on scene did their best to knock back the flames and save some of the house. Bradley Greer, a neighbor even assisted the firemen in fighting the fire.

As their water supply ran low, the Huxley Volunteer Fire Department (HVFD) arrived at 3:58pm with three grass trucks to support the needs of the SVFD and a second SVFD tanker truck also arrived at that time with a third SVFD fireman. Although the HVFD provided much needed assistance, the fire had overtaken the majority of the home and the remainder of the time the firemen were there was spent trying to extinguish what was left of the fire.

Center Fire Department was dispatched later to the scene and arrived at 6pm with more water to help finish the job. Jamie Hagler, Constable Precinct 2, was also on scene to assist the firemen.