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June 1, 2016 - FM 699 north of Center was the scene of a single-vehicle crash involving a truck colliding with a tree on Friday night, May 27, 2016.
Passersby helped the driver after the crash and neighbors in the area eventually arrived with chainsaws while TxDOT was en-route and removed the tree from the roadway.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Taylor Buster, at around 10:30pm Fern Thomas Jernigan Jr., 36, of Joaquin was traveling westbound on FM 699 in a 1996 white Dodge Ram 2500 when the truck collided with a large tree across the roadway. After the truck collided with the tree it left the roadway to the left where Jernigan was able to bring the truck to a halt.
Minimum damage was incurred by the truck and it was towed from the scene. No citations were issued.
TxDOT representatives arrived at the scene and cleared the remainder of the debris from the roadway.
May 30, 2016 - The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, unaccounted for since World War II, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Marine Pfc. James B. Johnson of Poughkeepsie, New York, will be buried May 31 in Arlington National Cemetery. In November 1943, Johnson was assigned to Company K, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, which landed against stiff Japanese resistance on the small island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll of the Gilbert Islands, in an attempt to secure the island. Over several days of intense fighting at Tarawa, approximately 1,000 Marines and sailors were killed and more than 2,000 were wounded, but the Japanese were virtually annihilated. Johnson died sometime on the first day of battle, Nov. 20, 1943.
The battle of Tarawa was a huge victory for the U.S. military because the Gilbert Islands provided the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet a platform from which to launch assaults on the Marshall and Caroline Islands to advance their Central Pacific Campaign against Japan.
In the immediate aftermath of the fighting on Tarawa, U.S. service members who died in the battle were buried in a number of battlefield cemeteries on the island. In 1946 and 1947, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company conducted remains recovery operations on Betio Island, but Johnson’s remains were not recovered. On Feb. 28, 1949, a military review board declared Johnson’s remains non-recoverable.
In June 2015, a nongovernmental organization, History Flight, Inc., notified DPAA that they discovered a burial site on Betio Island and recovered the remains of what they believed were 35 U.S. Marines who fought during the battle in November 1943. The remains were turned over to DPAA in July 2015.
To identify Johnson’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used Y-Short Tandem Repeat DNA analysis, which matched a nephew; laboratory analysis, including dental analysis, chest radiograph comparison, and anthropological comparison, which matched Johnson’s records; as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
DPAA is grateful to History Flight, Inc. for this recovery mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil or call 703- 699-1420.
May 29, 2016 - As of 1 PM, Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative is reporting less than 30 meters without power.
DETEC crews will continue to work until all power is restored.
We commend the DETEC and contract crews for their diligent work and thank you all for your patience as they worked to restore power as quickly and as safely as possible.
If you are still experiencing an outage, please call 1-800-392-5986.
May 29, 2016 - As of 11 AM, Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative is reporting less than 100 meters without power with the majority of these being in the Hemphill area.
DETEC crews will continue to work until all power is restored. Thank you for your patience as we work to restore power as quickly and as safely as possible.
Above all, we want to ask you to be safe - STAY AWAY FROM ALL DOWNED LINES. Consider them all to be live and dangerous. Call DETEC at 1-800-392-5986 to report downed lines and outages.
Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative, Inc. serves some 40,000 meters in eight counties of Deep East Texas, including Jasper, Nacogdoches, Newton, Panola, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine and Shelby.
May 27, 2016 - (Update) - As of 7am, Saturday, May 28, 2016 Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative is reporting approximately 7,400 meters without power.
Panola - 325
Shelby - 1500
Nacogdoches - 2300
San Augustine - 800
Sabine - 2500
Jasper - 20
Newton – 8
DETEC and contract crews will continue to work until all power is restored. If you have medical needs that require electricity, it is recommended that you secure alternative shelter with power.
As of 4pm, May 27, 2016 Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative is reporting approximately 11,200 meters without power following last night’s storm and today’s continued weather occurrences.
Panola County: 40
Shelby County: 1660
Nacogdoches County: 3000
San Augustine County: 2130
Sabine County: 3220
Jasper County: 370
Newton County: 805
DETEC and contract crews will continue to work through the afternoon and night until all power is restored. It is expected that restoration will continue into tomorrow (Saturday). If you have medical needs that require electricity, it is recommended that you secure alternative shelter with power. Thank you for your patience as we work to restore power as quickly and as safely as possible.
Above all, we want to ask you to be safe - Stay Away From All Downed Lines. Consider them all to be live and dangerous. Call DETEC at 1-800-392-5986 to report downed lines and outages.
As of 10 AM, Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative is reporting approximately 7600 meters without power.
Panola County: 20
Shelby County: 1000
Nacogdoches County: 1500
San Augustine County: 1500
Sabine County: 3400
Jasper County: 20
Newton County: 230
DETEC and contract crews are working to restore power as quickly and as safely as possible.
Above all, we want to ask you to be safe - Stay Away From All Downed Lines. Consider them all to be live and dangerous. Call DETEC at 1-800-392-5986 to report downed lines and outages.
May 27, 2016 Update - It is no longer necessary for customers on 139 to boil their water.
May 17, 2016 - Due to water main 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 17, 2016 on FM 139 south of county road 3360.
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 26, 2016 - The entrance to Walmart and McDonalds located on Hurst Street in Center was the scene of a two-vehicle crash on Thursday, May 26, 2016.
When emergency personnel arrived at the crash, the vehicles were still in the middle of the roadway.
According to Center Police Officer Angela Neal, at 11:57am Ida Eddins, 77, of Center was pulling out of the Walmart parking lot in a grey Ford F-150 entering Hurst Street. As the Ford entered Hurst Street it traveled in front of a Mazda 6 driven by Oscar Gonzalez, 33, of Center causing the Mazda to collide with the left front quarter panel of the F-150.
Gonzalez was transported from the scene by private vehicle to Nacogdoches Medical Center - Center Emergency Department.
No citations have been issued at this time.
May 26, 2016 - State Highway 87 north of FM 1645 was the scene of a single-vehicle crash on Saturday morning, May 21, 2016.
Passersby stopped when the crash occurred and went to help the driver, who had been ejected from the vehicle, and called 9-1-1. Shelby County Sheriff's Deputies Pete Davis and Chris Benton responded to the scene as well as ACE EMS who then transported the driver to Nacogdoches Medical Center - Center Emergency Department for treatment.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Taylor Buster, at 2:30am Jackson Lee McCroskey, 21, of Gary was driving a white 1993 Dodge Ram 2500 north on State Highway 87 just north of FM 1645.
As the truck traveled north, it left the roadway to the left and began a side skid. The truck eventually started overturning and rolled across the road back onto the northbound side where it came to rest on the driver's side in a ditch facing south.
Citations were issued to McCroskey for wrong side of road - not passing, fail to maintain financial responsibility, and ride not secured by safety belt.
The crash remains under investigation.
May 26, 2016 - The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) was alerted to a crash in the Aiken Community on State Highway 7 May 20, 2016.
Initial reports were there were several vehicles involved in the crash; however, when emergency personnel arrived, it was determined only one vehicle was involved in the incident.
According to Texas DPS State Trooper Taylor Buster, at 8:30am just west of Excelsior ISD a white 2005 Mercury Montego driven by Ebony Chantel Carter, 21, with passenger Tra Marcus Rashad Yarbrough, 20, both of Nacogdoches was traveling east on State Highway 7.
As the vehicle crested a hill at an unsafe speed it left the roadway to the left in a side skid. Once the vehicle left the road it rotated 360 degrees to the right side where it struck a tree with the right front quarter panel, causing damage, and came to rest with the right-rear quarter panel against a tree.
ACE EMS responded to the scene and the occupants of the vehicle refused treatment. No injuries were reported to have been received as a result of the crash. A citation for unsafe speed was issued to Carter.
The West Shelby Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to the scene and Shelby County Probation Officer Bradley Wilburn also assisted at the scene.
May 26, 2016 Update - Ladaryl Burns was arrested by the Shreveport Police Department May 26. Gershunna Savore is still wanted at this time.
May 24, 2016 - Center Crime Stoppers is seeking information on the location of a Ladaryl D. Burns and a Gershunna K. Savore. Burns is wanted for Felony 2 Fraudulent Use or Possession of Identifying Information, Burglary of a Habitation, Felony 2, Credit Card/ Debit Card Abuse Felony 3. Burns is described as a black male, 5'11" tall and weighing 200 lbs. Burns is 39 years of age. Savore is wanted for Felony 2 Fraudulent Use of Possession of Identifying Information, Burglary of a Habitation, Felony 2. Savore is described as a black female, 5'2" tall and weighing 150lbs. Savore is 31 years of age.
Center Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward of up to $1,000 for information. Anyone who has information regarding this crime should call Center Crime Stoppers at 936-598-SAFE (7233) or submit a tip online at www.centercrimestoppers.com. Remember you don't have to give your name. All calls and cash rewards are completely anonymous. Rewards will only be paid on tips submitted through the Center Crime Stoppers system.
If a caller does not wish to remain anonymous or receive a reward, they may call the Shelby County Sheriff's Department at 936-598-5600 or 936-572-1468 and speak with Lieutenant DJ Dickerson.
If anyone is found to be hindering the apprehension, harboring or concealing, providing or aiding with any means of avoiding arrest or effecting escape or warns Burns and/or Savore of impending discovery or apprehension will be arrested and charged in accordance to Penal Code 38.05 Hindering Apprehension or Prosecution, a Felony offense.
Submitted by Lieutenant D.J. Dickerson
May 26, 2016 - Press Release from Eastex Telephone Company - Scam Alert!
Eastex Telephone is aware of a variety of scams where our customers have been contacted with the caller demanding payment immediately, usually by requesting a credit card or bank account information.
Eastex does not call our customers demanding payment on their account. Any contact regarding payment is by Postal Mail. Eastex believes a customer should never give personal information to anyone who calls the customer. Only provide personal information when you originate the call.
Exercise extreme caution if you return a phone call to an automated message, these can be scams as well, sometimes causing extra long distance charges on your telephone bill.
Always be aware and alert when you receive a suspicious call. And remember you can always call your local Eastex Telephone office for more information.
Submitted by Shelby County Sheriff Lt. Det. DJ Dickerson
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