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Notice is hereby given that a Regular meeting of the Governing Body of the Shelby County Commissioners’ Court will be held on the 12th day of January, 2015 at 9:30 a.m. in the Courtroom of the Shelby County Courthouse at 200 San Augustine Street, Center, Shelby County, Texas to deliberate and consider action on the following items:
1. Approve the minutes of the December 8th, 2014 Regular Meeting and the December 22nd, 2014 Special Meeting of the Shelby County Commissioners’ Court.
2. Approve Officers’ Reports.
3. County Treasurer to address the court to explain new reporting layout.
4. Approve and pay monthly expenses.
5. Public announcement regarding City of Center Electronics Recycling Day scheduled for Saturday, January 24th.
6. Approve Commissioner Rodgers to sell an FG85 maintainer to be sold “as-is”.
7. Discuss the oversight and staffing of the County’s Indigent Health Care Program.
8. Discuss and possibly take action on adjusting ambulance subsidy to come out of Indigent Health Care fund instead of Contingency fund and credit the Contingency fund back for one month payment.
9. Adjourn.
LUFKIN, Texas – Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) crews are getting ready for icy weather conditions forecast for the local area this weekend. Crews have already started pre-treating U.S. 59 and a few other locations in anticipation of the winter storm.
According to TxDOT, maintenance crews in the Lufkin District’s nine county area (Angelina, Houston, Nacogdoches, Polk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby and Trinity counties) have outfitted dump trucks and pickup trucks with necessary equipment and materials for response to emergency situations as weather conditions change. Crews will continue to pre-treat some roadways Friday including Loop 287 in Lufkin and Loop 224 in Nacogdoches and will report to work when conditions warrant during the weekend. Efforts include inspecting highly exposed areas that are susceptible to wind and ice such as bridges, ramps and overpasses. De-icing materials and rock will be placed over those areas as needed to improve travel.
“Crews are prepared but if conditions get so bad that it makes driving hazardous the best and safest thing to do is to stay off the roads,” said Kathi White, TxDOT spokesperson. “If you absolutely must drive, slow down and use extra precautions especially on elevated surfaces.”
The number of Texas motor vehicle traffic crashes totaled 111,238 during the winter months (Dec. 2013, Jan. 2014, and Feb. 2014). These crashes resulted in 793 fatalities and almost 20,000 injuries (incapacitating and non-incapacitating). TxDOT offers these tips to help minimize potential hazards if you must drive:
• Be extra cautious on bridges, overpasses, ramps, turns and shaded areas which tend to freeze first.
• Reduce speed and allow extra time to reach destinations.
• Increase the following distance between you and other vehicles.
• Stay back at least 200 feet from vehicles treating roadways
• If you start to slide, ease off the gas pedal or brakes and steer into the direction of skid.
• Remain in your vehicle
• Avoid unnecessary travel
Visit www.drivetexas.org or call 1-800-452-9292 for statewide road conditions. Listen to local weather broadcasts too.
For more information, contact Kathi White at kathi.white@txdot.gov or (936) 633-4395. Find out more at www.txdot.gov. “Like” us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/txdot and follow us on Twitter, www.twitter.com/txdot or www.twitter.com/TxDOTLufkin.
Information contained in this report represents reportable data collected from Texas Peace Officer's Crash Reports (CR-3) received and processed by the Department as of Dec. 8, 2014.
Drive Smart in Winter Weather
December 30, 2014 - According to a press release from the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, the family of a wanted suspect was arrested for Hindering Apprehension after investigators discovered the wanted individual hiding in a large pile of laundry.
Sheriff Willis Blackwell reports on Monday, December 29, 2014 Shelby County Sheriff's Department Investigator D.J. Dickerson traveled to the residence of a Taunua Amburn located on County Road 4624 in Tenaha, Texas to execute a felony warrant service on a Dustin Bryan Estes, 27, of Tenaha.
Shelby County deputies had been to the aforementioned residence on a prior occasion in an attempt to serve said felony warrant. While at the residence, Investigator Dickerson was advised by occupants that Dustin Estes was not within the residence; however, Dustin Estes' mother Taunua Amburn gave consent to search the residence.
Investigator Dickerson asked occupants of the residence if Dustin Estes was within the residence and advised that Dustin had a warrant, to which due to the prior occasion of deputies attempting to serve the felony warrant, they were readily aware.
Investigator Dickerson also advised the occupants that if Dustin Estes was located within the residence they would be arrested and charged for Hindering Apprehension. Investigator Dickerson was told Dustin had not been there and had not been seen for about a month now and was supposedly staying in Louisiana.
During a search of the residence, Investigator Dickerson located Dustin Estes in a back bedroom hiding underneath a large pile of clothes. Dustin Estes was placed into custody for a warrant of Burglary of a Building, State Jail Felony and a Rusk County warrant for bond surrender.
The occupants of the residence were also placed into custody and charged for Hindering Apprehension/Prosecution, Felony 3. The occupants were identified as Taunua Renee Amburn, age 45; Linda Ann Parent, age 24; Taylor Kathleen Hodges, age 19; Austin Bryan Estes, age 24; and Dakota Lee Amburn, age 18, all of Tenaha.
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Emergency crews were dispatched to a two-vehicle crash involving a fatality at the intersection of Loop 500 and U.S. Highway 96 South in front of the new Nacogdoches Medical Center emergency room on Tuesday, December 30, 2014.Patrick Beard, 59, of Sourlake was traveling northbound in a blue Toyota Highlander on U.S. 96 just before 5:15am when, according to eyewitness statements, he ran the red light and entered the intersection with Loop 500 and collided with the trailer of a 2000 Mack truck-tractor live haul chicken truck traveling eastbound and driven by Darious Hill, 39, of Nacogdoches.
The collision caused major damage to the front of the Highlander. The truck tractor received minor damage to the trailer and it came to a stop just past the crash scene.
Center Police officers and ACE EMS arrived at the scene and discovered Beard was dead at the wheel of the Highlander. Maxie Eaves, Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, was called to the scene and he pronounced Beard deceased at the scene. The Center Fire Department used jaws of life to help extricate Beard from the vehicle.Watson and Sons Funeral Home transported Beard from the scene. Center Police Officer Jake Gross investigated the crash assisted by Officer Jeremy Konderla, Sgt. Duane Gordon and Officer Bobby Walker.
The crash remains under investigation.
A 28-year-old Jasper, Texas man has pleaded guilty to federal drug violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.
Shane Dwayne Hadnot pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith F. Giblin.
According to information presented in court, on Nov. 7, 2013, Alfred Wright, of Jasper, Texas, was reported missing by his family after his truck broke down in rural Sabine County, Texas. Articles of Wright’s clothing were found on private land, approximately a mile from where Wright was last seen. After searchers initially failed to locate Wright, his body was found on Nov. 25, 2013 in brush near where his clothing had been found. An investigation into the cause of Wright’s disappearance and death revealed his involvement with Shane Hadnot. Phone records, witness statements, and drug evidence located during the search of Shane Hadnot’s car, indicated that Hadnot was selling cocaine to Alfred Wright.
During the two-day period before Wright’s death, Hadnot and Wright exchanged 20 text messages. The indictment alleges that on Nov. 7, 2013, Wright sent a text message to Hadnot at 12:36 pm requesting to purchase cocaine and other illegal narcotics from Hadnot. Wright went missing approximately five hours later. An autopsy was performed on Wright’s body and toxicology testing revealed that Wright’s blood contained cocaine, methamphetamine and Xanax. The final autopsy report, and other experts in the fields of pathology, toxicology, and anthropology concluded that Wright’s cause of death was an accident due to combined drug intoxication. Hadnot was indicted by a federal grand jury on Aug. 6, 2014 and charged with drug trafficking violations.
“Today’s guilty plea signals that this investigation has reached a significant point of closure,” said U.S. Attorney Bales. “Shane Hadnot is being held accountable for his criminality and the associated factual context for Hadnot’s plea provides the truth for why Alfred Wright lost his life in the Sabine County woods. Of course, today’s court activity will provide little solace for Mr. Wright’s family who lost a husband, father, brother and son. Can anyone doubt that the distribution and use of illegal narcotics is a cancer in American society? On behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Texas Rangers, DEA and FBI, I again express our sorrow and our condolences to those who loved Alfred Wright. I also want to commend the Rangers, the agents and the officers who worked countless hours to determine what happened and who should be held accountable – they have done their duty and I am honored to be associated with this team.”
Hadnot faces up to 20 years in federal prison at sentencing. A sentencing date has not been set.
This case is being investigated by the Texas Rangers, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brit Featherston and John B. Ross.
 Larry Bruce Hendricks  Derek Wayne Hendricks  Larry Gene Barrett Jr.  Charles Seth Alexander |
Sheriff Willis Blackwell reports that the Shelby County Sheriff's Department Investigators Kevin W. Windham, DJ Dickerson and Christopher King along with Shelby County Pct. 5, Constable Stanley Burgay assisted by Chief Kent Graham have been investigating several thefts and burglaries that were reported in the Timpson area.
During the course of the investigations, property was recovered in Timpson, Texas being a total recovered value at approximately $50,000. It was found that suspects involved in the several cases of theft and burglaries were a Larry Hendricks, 51, of Timpson (arrested on December 9); Derek Hendricks, 17, of Timpson (arrested on December 9); Charles Seth Alexander, 26, of Timpson (arrested on December 11); and Larry Barrett, 23, of Garrison (arrested on December 11). The subjects received several charges of Theft >= $1500<20k, State Jail Felony.
The majority of the property was recovered on Rose Hill Road in Timpson. We have multiple locations for the original thefts in which we are still attempting to recover property.
The investigation and recovery of additional stolen property continues along with possible additional involved suspects with more charges to be filed.
The Shelby County Sheriff's Office states that due to the large number of items that has been stolen if anyone has purchased any kind property from these individuals it may be stolen. Please contact our office at 936-598-5600 immediately. No charges will be filed on any person for returning stolen property pertaining to this case in a timely manner.
Photo: Charles Seth Alexander (left) is seen above on December 11, 2014 being escorted into the Shelby County Jail by Deputy Sgt. Derek Barbee (middle) and Timpson Police Officer Michael Williams (right).
Shelby County Sheriff's Deputies arrested a man on drug charges after he reportedly drove a truck into a house on Sunday.
According to the press release, Sheriff Willis Blackwell states that on December 14, 2014 at approximately 1:26am Sheriff’s Deputies Cody Muse and Michael Griffin responded to a call at 20495 FM 139 in the Shelbyville area in regards to a vehicle that had run into a house.
Deputies arrived on scene and observed a white Chevrolet pickup sitting in the kitchen area of the residence. Deputies identified the driver as Craig Crocker, 26, of Center who was still in the driver’s seat passed out.
While Deputies conducted an inventory of the vehicle, a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana and a white crystal like substance believed to be methamphetamine was found inside Crocker’s vehicle. Crocker was arrested and booked into the Shelby County Jail for possession of marijuana, misdemeanor B and possession of controlled substance, felony 3.
Crocker was arraigned by JP1 Maxie Eaves and has a $3000 bond for Possession of Marijuana and $4,000 bond for possession of controlled substance.
A family's home was engulfed in flames on Walker Street when the Center Fire Department was dispatched to the scene shortly after 8pm Sunday night, December 14th.
According to the Center Fire Department the call came into at 8:07pm for a house fire at 294 Walker Street. Upon arrival on scene a back left bedroom was fully involved and the fire had broke through the roof.
The fire department responded with two tanker trucks and the Center Police Department arrived on scene to assist with traffic on Walker Street which had to be temporarily blocked off for access to a fire hydrant located across the roadway.
Firemen worked diligently to extinguish the flames preventing the whole house from being a total loss. They were challenged with accessing the back side of the house where the fire was located due to a fence but managed to fight the fire from the side of the house initially until another hose could be pulled into the house to the back. The fire was under control at 9:50pm and the trucks were back at the station at 11:30pm.
The source of the fire is suspected to be a space heater. The house, belonging to Dwayne and Samantha Sanford, received substantial damage to the back left side and heavy smoke and heat damage to the whole house.
A house fire which ignited on on Saturday morning, December 13, 2014 resulted in a total loss to the building.
Center firemen responded to a mobile home fire on CR 3267 just off FM 414 at 8:20am, and when they arrived the mobile home was engulfed in flames.
The firemen sprayed water to the interior and exterior of the building to extinguish the hotspots. As the firemen worked on the fire they worked to ensure the fire didn't spread and that the majority was extinguished.
At the scene the cause of the fire was unknown. The house was not currently being resided in at the time of the fire and belongs to Brian Borders who according to the fire department has been renovating the house.
The firemen returned to the station at 9:34am.
The Joaquin Fire Department was dispatched to a grass fire on FM 139 at 1:04 pm Sunday afternoon, December 14, 2014. Fire department units arrived on the scene at 1:09 pm and had the fire under control by 1:25 pm.They remained on scene knocking out hotspots until 1:50 pm. The fire was started when wind gusts caused a pile of burning leaves to spread to a pasture.
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