October 14, 2026 - Shelby County Sheriff’s Department Deputies responded to a single-vehicle crash on State Highway 7 West approximately three miles west of FM 711 on Sunday, October 11, 2026
When officers arrived in the reported vicinity of the vehicle, it wasn’t visible from the roadway. Through constant contact with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department dispatch Deputies Jud Matthews and George Watson were able to eventually pinpoint the location of the vehicle involved with the assistance of Global Positioning System coordinates. Once located, the vehicle was found in a wooded area, and was virtually invisible from the roadway in the dark.
According to details from the Texas Department of Public Safety, the preliminary crash investigation indicates that at approximately 12:37am, a grey 2013 Kia Soul driven by Mario Pallares, 34, of Center was traveling east when he failed to drive in a single lane and traveled off the roadway to the right, and struck a tree.
The vehicle then came to rest on its top.
The Sheriff’s Department Deputies, West Shelby County Volunteer Fire Department and EMS personnel swiftly came to the aid of Pallares and were able to move him to an ambulance for transport. He was then taken to Shelby Emergency Department for treatment of possible injuries and he was then flown by helicopter to another hospital.
According to DPS, Pallares was transported to LSU Medical Shreveport for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. This is an ongoing investigation, and no further information is available at this time.
The crash was investigated by Trooper Daniel Dellenger.
