Shelby County Today

November 25, 2025 - FM 139 in the vicinity of CR 3361 was the scene of a single-vehicle rollover crash on Sunday, November 23, 2025.

When emergency responders arrived at the location sometime around 1pm, they found an SUV upside down in the ditch beside the roadway.

According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Matt Chandler, a brown 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Dawn Denise Pacileo, 60, of Logansport was traveling northwest on FM 139 approaching a curve and failed to drive in a single lane.

The Jeep left the road to the right and Pacileo attempted to drive back onto the roadway where the vehicle entered a side-skid and traveled across the oncoming traffic lane. The Jeep finally came to rest on its top and side facing southeast.

Pacileo was determined to be intoxicated and was transported by ambulance to Shelby Emergency Department for possible injuries.

Passengers in the Jeep including David Lee Fults, 61, of Joaquin and Tycus Boyd, 64, of Logansport were not reported to have been injured.

Pacileo was charged with driving while intoxicated.

Assisting at the scene were Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department personnel and Shelby County Sheriff's Deputies.

Texas DPS Troopers are investigating the crash incident from November 21, 2025.

November 23, 2025 - Emergency personnel were dispatched to a major two-vehicle crash on State Highway 7 East near the Flat Fork Creek Bridge on Friday, November 21, 2025, sometime just after 6:05pm.

The highway was eventually shut down on the Joaquin side of Flat Fork Creek bridge so that emergency personnel could address the needs of those involved while Texas DPS State Troopers investigated the incident.

Joaquin VFD fire personnel are seen washing debris from the roadway at the scene of the crash.

According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, the preliminary crash investigation indicates that at approximately 6:05pm, a red 2012 Chevrolet Camaro driven by Shakayla Franklin, 22, of Mansfield, La. was traveling east, while a red 2015 GMC pickup driven by Tommy Gray, Jr., 65, of Joaquin was traveling west. It is reported that Franklin crossed over into the oncoming lane causing the Camaro to strike the GMC head-on.
 
Gray and Franklin were both pronounced deceased on scene by a Shelby County Justice of the Peace.

According to DPS, this is an ongoing investigation, and no further information is available at this time.

Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department personnel maintained traffic control at both ends of the crash scene.

November 20, 2025 - Law enforcement officers in Shelby County were involved in a multi-agency high-speed pursuit of a pickup truck Thursday, November 19, 2025. 

Officers in pursuit of a pickup truck entered Shelby County on FM 147 just before 10am traveling northbound. It’s been confirmed that Shelbyville ISD was placed on lockdown as the pursuit headed in that direction.

A DeSoto Parish helicopter also provided air support as the other agencies pursued into Shelby County. The truck being pursued led officers down State Highway 87 traveling south and eventually back into San Augustine County where the chase finally came to a stop on FM 103.

Just before the intersection of FM 103 with Bronson Road, the pursued vehicle wrecked out and the driver fled. Officers were able to quickly apprehend the fleeing individual.

At the time of this report, details have not been issued by any agency involved.

November 20, 2025 - Cyber Security was a subject of consideration during the Shelby County Commissioners’ Court Wednesday, November 19, 2025 meeting and Ann Blackwell, County Treasurer, highlighted the importance of county officials and employees participating in training.

“I just think we need to be a lot more diligent in our cyber security awareness,” said Blackwell.

Blackwell said there is a cost to the county of $5 per person for the training and it will include everybody that has access to email or who does county business through their phone. Some of the training will also be face-to-face.

“If you’re on the computer and you’re doing county business on the computer, you need to have cyber security training,” said Blackwell.

Offices in the county where staff may not have individual emails, will need to have group training as Blackwell described, so they are aware of what safety measures are necessary.

Blackwell described several scenarios of email phishing that are utilized of which employees and officials would need to be aware to help prevent them being hacked.

“We’re going to do the best we can do to try to make everybody aware, and just aware of those little small details when you get something that doesn’t look just quite right,” said Blackwell. 

As an example, Blackwell stated, “I know the judge isn’t going to email me and tell me to wire somebody some money, I know she is not going to do that.”

In 2018, Shelby County was the target of ransomware in the District Clerk's office which was eventually resolved. Earlier in 2025, Shelby County employees and officials were targeted through an email hack, which also spread through their contacts. These previous incidents demonstrate a perpetual need for vigilance as suggested by Blackwell.

Shannon Metcalf, Commissioner Precinct 2, moved to approve registration for the 2026 Cyber Security Training and a second was heard from Tom Bellmyer, Commissioner Precinct 4. The motion carried.

The commissioners agreed to have an auction of surplus and scrap items and or other materials December 19, 2025, in the DPS parking lot at the Precinct 1 County Barn in Center at 10am.

This sale would include items from several of the commissioner yards, and potentially items from the Sheriff’s Department.

Precinct 1 items listed as of the meeting are: 1982 International flat bed truck; 1999 Ford flat bed truck; 2001 Mack truck; 2008 Ford pickup truck; 2009 Ford; 2007 Dodge; Fiat loader purchased sometime in the 80s; two tagalong dump trailers with Davis dump beds.

Precinct 2 items listed as of the meeting are: 20-foot 7.75 width Gooseneck trailer; shop built trailer.

Precinct 3 items listed as of the meeting are:  2003 Ford pickup truck; 2011 Ford pickup truck; 3-point PTO tiller; 6-foot bush hog; bridge materials 7x12; 8-foot roller.

McSwain stated the old pugmill will also be listed with its conveyor and ramp at a starting bid of $100,000. Items listed on Purple Wave will end on December 16, and if they don’t sell there they will be added to the December 19 auction.

Commissioner McSwain moved to set the date for December 19, at 10am in the DPS parking lot by the county barn including all the items listed during the meeting, surplus and salvage materials will be involved in the auction and the pugmill, conveyor and ramp will have a minimum bid of $100,000 or it will not sell and if the Sheriff’s Department has things they want to add to the sale it will be listed the following week of the meeting and promoted via media sources. Commissioner Bellmyer seconded the motion and it carried.

Mike Hanson, Shelby County Chief Deputy, introduced biographical information to the commissioners as they considered accepting John E. Cash as a reserve deputy with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department. Hanson stated that Cash started his law enforcement career in 2003 in the DFW Metroplex, stayed for several years, and in an effort to make more money for his family entered into the oil and gas industry. During that time he let his peace officer’s license lapse and became inactive. In 2023, he went through a second police academy. Most recently he was a reserve with Cherokee County after being a full-time patrol deputy with that agency. He lives in Shelby County now and continues to work in the oil and gas industry.

Commissioner Bellmyer moved to approve John E. Cash as a reserve deputy and Commissioner Metcalf seconded the motion. It carried

During Commissioner Court reports, Commissioner Bellmyer commented that the fiber optic crews working in Precinct can be overwhelming, and that water departments are having to contend with some water supply issues as a result.

“Dealing with a couple water districts in the precinct they’re having a hard time keeping up with water lines that are getting cut,” said Bellmyer. “This morning when I came in I got a call they cut a gas line and the gas company’s out, actually shut down a road for a while back down off [FM] 415 at [CR] 4123 back in that area.”

Commissioner Bellmyer commented that the fiber optic crews have been doing a pretty good job of erecting warning indicators and cones on county roads, but their presence can “overwhelm a road.”

“They’re on at least 12 roads with about 20 crews that are working, so I think they’re moving to the east if you would to Precinct 3 next,” said Commissioner Bellmyer.

Another subject of concern for Commissioner Bellmyer was the repairs to the courthouse elevator that the county has been anxiously awaiting for over a year and a half.

“We approved and we’ve actually sent in excess of $48,000 of a down payment to the elevator company,” said Bellmyer.

To his knowledge the company hasn’t performed any of the contracted work to the elevator.

“I’m requesting, with approval from the court whether we put it on the agenda next week or we can talk about it today. I really think it’s appropriate for the county attorney to send them a letter that we sent them at their request in good faith, I think it’s $48,700 so that they gather the parts and materials and whatnot,” said Commissioner Bellmyer.

Commissioner Bellmyer feels that they have been patient enough. Commissioner McSwain agreed it needs to be addressed and it’s gone on for too long.

County Treasurer Blackwell agreed the county sent funds to the company in July 2024.

An item Commissioner McSwain brought to the attention of court was the county sick leave policy and comp time policy, as well as, cashless Justice of the Peace offices. He said the sign-up time for sick leave will be in December.

“We have a one-year mandatory service time before you can sign up,” said McSwain.

He said that someone could wait for a year right now if they were to hire in January before being added to sick leave. McSwain offered the idea of changing that to a sign up every six months so that someone could sign up in the middle of the year.

Going cashless with the Justice of the Peace offices would be something McSwain remarked would make the auditors happy, especially since they indicate every year that the current way of operating with cash carries with it a potential risk.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:08am.

Agenda items approved during the meeting include:

1. Weekly expenses.
2. Current payroll.
3. Registration of the county for the Annual CyberSecurity training through TAC.
4. John E. Cash as a Reserve Deputy for the Sheriff’s Department.
5. Set December 19, 2025 at 10am for the live auction for all surplus equipment and/or materials.
6. Adjourn 10:08am.