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December 9, 2015 - Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) reports a car was run off the roadway by a pickup truck on State Highway 7 West Tuesday, December 8, 2015 resulting in the injury of one man.
Emergency personnel were dispatched to the scene of the crash at 3:50pm just before the intersection of FM 2913 where the vehicle was sitting in a pasture by the roadway.
According to Texas DPS Trooper Anthony LaCount, a white Toyota Matrix S driven by Farhan Hussein Hassan, 24, of Nacogdoches was traveling east in the outside lane when Hassan states a 4-door black pickup truck passed on the left side, in the left lane. As the truck passed on the left, it ran the Toyota off the roadway.
The Toyota traveled to the right off the roadway and through the barrow ditch before colliding with, and traveling through, a fence. As the vehicle traveled through the fence, a fence post went through the passenger side of the windshield and struck Matan Hussein Hassan, 47, before the vehicle came to a stop.
Hassan was transported by ACE EMS to Nacogdoches Medical Center for treatment of a suspected fractured ankle. Other passengers in the back of the vehicle Asli Abdi, 34, and Halimo Abdikadir, 38, were not reported at the scene to have received injuries from the crash.
No further information on the truck whose driver failed to stop and render was available at the time of the crash. The crash remains under investigation.
December 9, 2015 - An alleged online child predator was arrested Saturday and booked into the Shelby County Jail at 6:30am for directing a sexual performance by a child, felony 3.
According to a press release, Shelby County Sheriff Willis Blackwell announces the arrest of Dakota Ray Smith, 21 of Joaquin on December 5, 2015.
Investigators with the Shelby County Sheriff's Office (SCSO) discovered on or about November 10, 2015, Smith created a fictitious account through social media where he portrayed himself as a female. Smith contacted underage children in an attempt to obtain inappropriate photographs.
Smith was charged with directing a sexual performance by a child (F3). He was released December 5 on a $10,000 bond.
The SCSO would like to thank the Shelby County District Attorney's Office and the Shelby County Children's Advocacy Center for their assistance in this investigation.
Submitted by Leah Chase
December 8, 2015 - East Texas… Get your spoons ready; the wait is over for millions of ice cream lovers in East Texas.
On Monday, December 14th, Blue Bell will begin stocking the shelves of your local Brookshire Brothers stores. There are 46 locations involved in Blue Bell’s third phase of returning their beloved products to the marketplace.
Adding to the excitement, each of your local Brookshire Brothers stores in the communities involved will give away a year’s supply of Blue Bell to one lucky customer! Any customer who purchases a Blue Bell product at a participating Brookshire Brothers on delivery day will be eligible to win the one year’s supply of their favorite, frozen treat. All Celebrate members who purchase Blue Bell on delivery day will get two chances to enter the ice cream giveaway – now that’s a sweet deal! Registration will continue in-store while supplies last on delivery day and the winner will be drawn at the end of the day.
Founded in 1921, Brookshire Brothers is 100% employee-owned. Its assets include retail outlets incorporating grocery stores, convenience stores, as well as free standing pharmacy, tobacco and petro locations across Texas and Louisiana. For more information about Brookshire Brothers www.brookshirebrothers.com
Impaired driving campaign seeks to curb increase in holiday fatalities due to alcohol
December 7, 2015 AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Transportation’s “Plan While You Can” campaign urges party goers to plan for a sober ride this holiday season. The campaign runs through Jan. 1, 2016 and coincides with an increase in DUI patrols and enforcement.
“The holidays are a time of celebration and family, but they also require responsible decisions and planning if alcohol is involved,” said TxDOT Executive Director LtGen Joe Weber, USMC (Ret). “Our goal is to save families from the heartbreak of losing a loved one. Finding a sober ride is easy and it can save you from being arrested, injured or killed. There is no excuse for drinking and driving.”
During last year’s holiday season (Dec. 1, 2014 - Jan. 1, 2015) there were 2,412 alcohol-related traffic crashes in Texas, resulting in 190 serious injuries and 110 fatalities. This was nearly an 8-percent increase in alcohol-related traffic fatalities over the previous holiday season.
Central to the “Plan While You Can” campaign is a statewide tour featuring an interactive dodgeball game that uses custom gaming technology to replicate the effects of alcohol on a person’s reflexes. As participants play, virtual drinks are added and the players’ on-screen avatars become less able to dodge incoming “snowballs.” The game demonstrates how even one drink can slow reaction times.
Additionally, TxDOT is hosting a contest on its Facebook, Twitter and Instagram social media accounts. Participants who tag up to three friends in a tweet or a post with the hashtag #PlanWhileYouCan will be entered into a giveaway for a donated gift card from a retailer, restaurant or entertainment venue. To enter and learn more, follow TxDOT on its social media accounts.
As always, TxDOT strongly encourages everyone to plan for a sober ride before going out. Visit SoberRides.org to find alternatives to drinking and driving, such as:
- Calling a taxi or using a transportation app on your smartphone.
- Using mass transit.
- Asking a sober friend or family member for a ride home.
- Spending the night.
For more information, contact Public Information Officer Rhonda Oaks at Rhonda.Oaks@txdot.gov or (936) 633-4395.
Update: December 9, 2015 - It is no longer necessary for the customers that were without water on December 4, 2015 on the Five Way Water system to boil their water.
December 5, 2015 - Due to a water main break, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has required our water system, Five Way 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 December 4, 2015 east of Highway 7 plant and the surrounding county roads: CR 3129, CR 3140, CR 3148, and CR 3156.
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 936-591-1205.
December 4, 2015 - The Texas Department of Public Safety is investigating a crash involving two truck-tractors in Joaquin, which held up traffic for several hours on Thursday, December 3, 2015.
At around 2pm the Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department took positions at either end of the crash scene and began directing traffic, soon thereafter Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) State Troopers Keith Jones, Dustin Ramos and Taylor Buster arrived at the scene and began investigating the crash.
ACE EMS personnel checked drivers involved for injuries; however, they refused treatment and were not transported from the scene.
According to Texas DPS Trooper Jones, a 2012 Peterbilt owned by Steve Kent Trucking of Cottie, LA driven by Allen Charles Boyd, Jr., 42, was traveling eastbound in the left lane on State Highway 7. A 1990 International owned and operated by Michael Whitaker Jr., 35, of Mansfield, LA. was also traveling eastbound in the right lane.
One truck or the other crossed over into the other lane and the trucks collided. At the time of the crash the responsible party was unclear and witnesses were being questioned.
Following the collision, the Peterbilt pulled to the side of the roadway and the International remained in the middle of the roadway where it had jackknifed and leaked a considerable amount of diesel fuel onto the road.
A HAZMAT team was called in to clean up the spilled fluid.
More information will be provided on this crash as it is made available.
December 4, 2015 - State Highway 7 East at the intersection with County Road 1211 was the scene of a two-vehicle crash on Wednesday, December 2, 2015.
When emergency personnel arrived at the scene, the roadway was blocked, and members of the West Shelby County Volunteer Fire Department as well as TxDOT directed traffic to prevent another collision.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) State Trooper Taylor Buster, at around 9am a brown Ford F-150 pickup truck driven by Ovias Bailey, 63, of Center failed to yield right of way on State Highway 7 when exiting from County Road 1211.
When Bailey entered Highway 7 a white Dodge Charger driven by Chrissy Barrino, 30, of South Carolina was traveling west. She tried to avoid the collision and struck the pickup truck on the left front quarter panel with the right front quarter panel of the Dodge.
Barrino was transported by ACE EMS to Nacogdoches Medical Center - Center Emergency Department for unknown injuries. Bailey was transported by private vehicle to the hospital. He was issued a citation for fail to yield right of way turning left.
Trooper Buster was assisted with the investigation by DPS Troopers Keith Jones and Ricardo Segura.
December 3, 2015 - A two-vehicle crash blocked both eastbound lanes of traffic on State Highway 7 West at the intersection of FM 711 on Thursday, December 3, 2015 at 1:50pm. The Center Fire Department was dispatched to the scene to assist with traffic control.
According to a Texas Department of Public Safety crash report, a white 2010 Dodge pickup driven by Elton Hamilton, 64 of Lufkin, was stopped at the stop sign on FM 711 at the intersection of State Highway 7 West and then pulled onto SH 7 pulling a gooseneck trailer. Before the truck and trailer could clear the eastbound lanes of traffic a white 2015 Toyota Highlander traveling east topped the hill at the intersection and struck the trailer which was in its pathway. The Toyota was driven by Jordan Belrose, 26 of Center.
The front and left front quarter panel of the Toyota struck the middle of the trailer sliding partially under the rear tires of the trailer. The trailer came up to the front windshield of the vehicle. Both vehicles were blocking the eastbound lanes of traffic. The Toyota received major damage. The tow ball broke on the pickup and the neck of the trailer came loose damaging the tailgate. The trailer received damage on its left side.
ACE EMS provided medical care on scene; however, neither of the drivers required transport from the scene. Belrose was transported by private vehicle to Nacogdoches Medical Center - Center Emergency Department for medical evaluation as a precaution.
Hughes Wrecker Service lifted and pulled the trailer off of the top of the Toyota and suspended it until volunteer fireman Waylon Griffin could back his pickup up and hook onto it. Griffin then pulled the trailer to a nearby parking lot as Hughes Wrecker hooked up to the Toyota to clear the roadway.
Hamilton was cited for failure to yield right of way. The crash was investigated by State Trooper Ricardo Segura.
December 2, 2015 - Emergency crews were dispatched to a wreck on State Highway 87 South just north of Shelbyville on Sunday, November 29, 2015 at 9:45pm in which the vehicle was impaled on a fence and was reported to be on fire.
F
irst to arrive at the scene were Shelby County Sheriff's Deputies Bradley Horton, Michael Griffin and Jamie Hagler, Constable Precinct 2. When the officers arrived, the driver was no longer in the vehicle and appeared to be uninjured in the crash. While the car had been emitting smoke, it was determined there was no fire.
Austin Nelams and Tristin Wilburn were also traveling on Highway 87 at the time of the crash and bore witness to what happened when the driver left the roadway to the left.
As evidenced by damage at the scene, the silver 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis crossed onto the west barrow ditch where it struck a mailbox and traveled over a culvert. The Mercury then drove into a pipe fence, owned by Tommy Wilburn, with its left side and as it continued traveling along the fence stripping the top rail from posts, the top rail separated and impaled the passenger side of the windshield as well as the front passenger door window.
Traveling for another 40 yards, the Mercury continued to topple posts as it rode the rail, while the rear end of the car became somewhat submerged in a pond to which the fence ran parallel before coming to a halt.
Nelams exited his vehicle and assisted the driver in escaping from the car. The Shelbyville Volunteer Fire Department and Center Fire Department were both dispatched to the scene and the departments worked together as Center Fireman Glenn Johnson used a saw to cut the pipe and free the Mercury from the fence. Jason Burch with Hughes Wrecker was then able to pull the car free of the water.
ACE EMS transported the driver Daraymoss Arnez Lister, 33, of Center to Nacogdoches Medical Center - Center Emergency Department for precautionary measure and was later released. Lister was issued a citation for unsafe speed and was also arrested on a warrant for possession of weapon.
The crash was investigated by Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Jeff Pirtle.
November 30, 2015 - A 43-year-old Tenaha, Texas man has been sentenced to federal prison for conspiring to distribute over 50 kilograms of marijuana that was stolen from the Tenaha City Marshal’s Office in 2010 announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.
Roderrete Dewrayne McClure (McClure) pleaded guilty on March 6, 2015, to Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and was sentenced to 56 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Schneider. According to information presented in court, sometime before August 22, 2010, McClure and a confederate removed over fifty (50) kilograms of marijuana from the Tenaha City Marshal’s Office evidence room.
Fire starter logs were substituted to cover the taking of the marijuana. On August 17 and 19, 2010, McClure took digital images of the stolen marijuana and transmitted them to person identified only as (T.F.) in order to facilitate the sale of the drugs in the Dallas area. In July 2010, McClure provided some of the stolen marijuana to another person, identified as K.M., to sell in the area of Shreveport, Louisiana. McClure admitted that he received payments in exchange for the marijuana.
This case was investigated by the F.B.I. Tyler Office and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Tyler Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble.
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