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October 7, 2016 - When a house fire was discovered at 195 CR 4405 by a neighbor early Friday, October 7 the Center Fire Department responded at 1:03am. The fire was fully involved when the firemen arrived and the majority of the mobile home had burned to the ground.
Fire was threatening to travel into woods surrounding the house and the firemen prevented the flames from traveling any further.
The firemen extinguished the house which was a total loss and SWEPCO responded to the scene to make sure there were no longer any live power lines running to the house.
Property records show the owner of the property to be Jeraldine Pitts and the owner of the mobile home to be Charles Latham.
October 7, 2016 - As Panola County deputies engaged in a chase approached Shelby County, assistance was requested from area law enforcement officers in Shelby County.
Officers from agencies including the Shelby County Sheriff's Department, Texas Department of Public Safety and Center Police Department moved in as the chase neared Timpson. Eyewitness accounts near the location of U.S. Highways 84 and 59 stated gunfire was exchanged; however, Sheriff Lake states one shot was fired in an attempt to disable the vehicle after the subject fired and attempted to drive away. That shot was not in an attempt to shoot the subject.
As the officers from Shelby County approached the scene, the suspect involved in the chase had been shot. The Timpson Volunteer Ambulance Service and Timpson Volunteer Fire Department were both dispatched to the scene for traffic control and to treat the injured suspect.
According to a press release from the Panola County Sheriff's Department, a Panola County Deputy attempted to make a traffic stop on a vehicle in the Clayton area for an expired registration which had been expired for over 2 years on October 6, 2016 at 7:56pm.
When the deputy activated his emergency lights, the vehicle failed to stop traveling south on FM 1970. Deputies advised that the vehicle failed to stop at the stop light at state highway 315 continuing to travel south on FM 1970. The vehicle was reported to never exceed 75 mph, but refused to stop. As the pursuit reached the area of the southern Panola County line on FM 1970, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office was notified.
The vehicle continued to proceed into Shelby County. Panola County Sheriff’s units remained behind the fleeing vehicle until Shelby County law enforcement could intercept the pursuit. The vehicle began to make defensive maneuvers by jamming the brakes attempting to crash into the pursuing units. Panola County deputies allowed a safe distance as to not strike the vehicle.
As the vehicle approached the intersection of FM 1970 and FM 84, deputies reported they observed the subject displaying a firearm which appeared to be a rifle or shotgun. As the vehicle stopped at the intersection at US 84, the subject fired one shot from inside the cab of the vehicle then fled again traveling east on US 84.
Deputies reported that the subject continued to display the firearm as he traveled on US 84 towards Timpson. As the vehicle approached US Highway 59, the subject dropped the firearm out the window before finally stopping at the intersection of US highway 59. The subject was taken into custody without further incident.
It was discovered upon making contact with the subject he had a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the face. First aid was administered until Timpson Volunteer EMS arrived on the scene. The subject was transported to a Nacogdoches hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Sheriff Kevin Lake thanks Panola County Constable Bryan Murff, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Center Police Department, Timpson Police Department and Texas DPS for their assistance.
At this time the Panola County Sheriff's Department has not released information pertaining to the identity of the driver.
October 6, 2016 - (Update): The city of Center experienced a large area power outage early Thursday, October 6, 2016 which amongst other things blacked out the Center square.
According to Carey Sullivan, SWEPCO representative, at 5:50am a vehicle hit a guy-wire and broke a utility pole on the main circuit causing an outage effecting 1,474 customers. About 1,000 customers' power was restored by 8am and the remained were back on by 10:50am.
The Center Police Department did not have a record of a crash occurring at that time, and the driver involved apparently fled the scene with the vehicle involved.
(October 6, 2016, 6:45am): A large portion of the city of Center is currently without power due to an outage suspected to involve a transformer.
Use caution on the square as there are no traffic lights functional at the time at that location. Hurst Street traffic lights remain functional; however, Wal Mart is without power and most businesses south of that location until Loop 500.
October 6, 2016 - The parking lot of Family Dollar in Center became the staging area of a truck fire early Thursday, October 6, 2016 involving a garbage truck.
Center Fire Department responded to the location at 5:45am where the garbage truck, of which the contents were on fire, had dumped the trash within its hold onto the parking lot of the Family Dollar.
The firemen extinguished the fiery trash heap and Republic Services later cleansed the area where the trash had been piled.
October 6, 2016 - West Shelby Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to a house fire located on the west end of ongoing construction at 6713 State Highway 7 West October 5, 2016 at 4:55pm.
When firemen arrived the house had not yet caught on fire, but an oven within the house was overheating, generating smoke in the house.
The firemen ventilated the house with a fan and prevented the house from going up in flames.
October 6, 2016 - The Timpson Volunteer Fire Department responded to a house fire on Wednesday, October 5, 2016 at the intersection of CR 4699 and CR 4694 at 8:43am.
When the firemen arrived, the house had obviously been burning long before they were called, and the house had completely burned down. At that time, the Timpson VFD requested a law enforcement officer at the scene.
Sean Coley, the resident who was renting the house from Jerry Wood, was not home at the time of the fire and the cause was not determined. Power was not running to the residence at the time of the fire.
Robert Hairgrove, Constable Precinct 5, was dispatched to the scene and he documented the incident.
October 4, 2016 - The Timpson Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to a house located on Ross Graves Drive at 1:37pm October 2, 2016 where the firemen learned three individuals were seen fleeing the house.
Although the address was unknown to dispatchers the firemen arrived at the intersection with Pecan Street where they were able to determine the house in question by smoke escaping the building. The firemen prevented the building from going up in flames and discovered the point of origin for the fire in a bathroom toward the rear of the house where it was apparent someone had set debris on fire.
Eyewitness accounts stated three juveniles were seen running from the house as smoke exited the building. The Timpson VFD made multiple requests to the Shelby County Sheriff's Department for an officer on scene and were informed no one was available and a Timpson officer who was not yet on duty would be en route.
Timpson Police Officer Jake Metcalf arrived on scene at 2:35pm and entered the house with firemen who led him to the origin of the fire. Officer Metcalf began witness interviews and searched the area with fireman Greg Hailey in efforts to locate the responsible parties.
At this time the fire remains under investigation by the Timpson Police Department. More information will be provided as it is made available.
October 4, 2016 LUFKIN – The Texas Transportation Commission approved last week $1.1 million earmarked for improvements to the Center Municipal Airport. The money is designated for electrical, pavement and drainage improvements at the airport.
Commissioners approved a total of $17.9 million for improvements in rural airports that included Alice International Airport, Arlington Municipal Airport, Coulter Field (Bryan), Castroville Municipal Airport, McKinney National Airport, South Texas Regional at Hondo Airport, Stephenville Clark Field and Sugar Land Regional Airport.
Improvements are funded through TxDOT’s Aviation Facilities Grant Program, which preserves and improves the state’s general aviation system. TxDOT expects this year to provide approximately $60 million in funding for planning, constructing and maintaining approximately 275 community airports in Texas that are eligible for federal and state funding.
More than three million flight hours are logged in arrivals and departures each year from Texas community airports, which additionally provide aircraft facilities for agricultural, medical, business and commuter use.
October 3, 2016 - The Center Fire Department was dispatched to a structure fire Sunday, October 2, 2016 at 6:45am on CR 3016.
Upon arrival at the scene, a barn in which it appeared chicken litter was being stored had burned to the ground.
Any flames which were emitting from the structure were extinguished by the firemen to help prevent further spread.
The firemen left the scene at 7:17am.
October 3, 2016 - State Highway 7 West just outside of Center was the scene of a two-vehicle crash Monday, October 3, 2016.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Taylor Buster, at 5:11pm Ingnacio Godines Ramirez, 63, of Bronson was eastbound on a John Deere tractor for K&L Contractors with a brush hog attached just under a mile from Loop 500 in front of Hughes Wrecker Service. At that time Collin Bush, 31, of Center was traveling in the same direction in the outside lane in a Chevrolet Equinox when the Equinox rear-ended the tractor.
The Center Fire Department was dispatched to the scene for support and they provided traffic control at the scene. Ramirez and Bush were both transported by ACE EMS to Nacogdoches Medical Center - Center Emergency Department for treatment of minor injuries.
Bush was issued a citation for failure to control speed.
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