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March 29, 2017 - The intersection of U.S. Highway 59 (North First Street) and State Highway 87 (Jacob Street) was the scene of an incident involving a truck-tractor losing its load Wednesday, March 29, 2017. The truck-tractor was northbound when the incident occurred.
Emergency personnel with the Timpson Volunteer Fire Department were returning from assisting other emergency crews in Rusk County and from a crash on U.S. 59 when they were notified by Timpson City Utility crews at 7:28am of the truck losing its load of what appeared to be granite slabs.
When firemen arrived, they provided traffic control at the scene to prevent any vehicle from colliding with the debris from the truck. TxDOT personnel were dispatched to the location and they cleared the debris from the roadway.
According to Timpson Police Officer Michelle Ashworth, the truck-tractor was driven by Wayne Mendez, 53, of Louisiana and as he was trying to slow down at the intersection the load he was hauling shifted forward. Mendez was trying not to slam on the brakes to prevent the load from hitting the back of his truck. The slabs he was hauling cut right through the straps meant to secure the load, and spilled from the trailer.
No injuries were reported as a result of the incident.
March 29, 2017 - U.S. Highway 59 south of Tenaha was the scene of a single-vehicle crash Wednesday morning, March 29, 2017 to which Texas Department of Public Safety was dispatched and Timpson Volunteer Fire Department responded to assist.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Brent Murray, notification of the crash was received at 7:38am. Upon investigation it was determined a black 2015 Toyota Tacoma driven by Chad Edward Lawrence, 27, of Joaquin was southbound on U.S. 59 when Lawrence states he hydroplaned and crossed the roadway.
The Toyota struck the barrow ditch and overturned coming to rest on its left side, facing south.
No injuries were reported as a result of the crash.
Lawrence was issued a citation for unsafe speed.
Trooper Murray was assisted at the scene by Trooper Richard Hill.
5:46pm Update: Isolated showers are expected to gradually increase this evening. Thunderstorms will also begin developing in some area, and a few storms could become strong. This activity will move to the northeast at 30 to 40 mph.
March 29, 2017 - At 9:02am CDT, Wednesday, March 29, 2017 the National Weather Service (NWS) in Shreveport, Louisiana forecast a band of showers and isolated thunderstorms will move northeastward into the area during the mid to late morning. Gusty winds and brief heavy rain are possible.
A lake wind advisory remains in effect from 10am this morning to 7pm CDT this evening. A tightening pressure gradient will result in southerly winds increasing to 15 to 20mph with gusts to 30mph. Winds will likely produce a rough chop on area lakes and open waterways, which may be hazardous for boaters, especially for small craft.
A lake wind advisory indicates that winds will cause rough chop on area lakes. Small boats will be especially prone to capsizing.
Short Term Forecast for areas of Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas - Sevier, Howard, Little River, Hempstead, Nevada, Miller, Lafayette, Columbia, Caddo, Bossier, De Soto, Bowie, Camp, Morris, Cass, Upshur, Marion, Gregg, Harrison, Cherokee, Rusk, Panola, Nacogdoches, Shelby, Angelina, San Augustine, Sabine.
Lake Wind Advisory for areas of Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas - Miller, Lafayette, Caddo, Bossier, Webster, De Soto, Red River, Bienville, Jackson, Sabine, Natchitoches, Winn, Grant, Caldwell, La Salle, Bowie, Franklin, Titus, Camp, Morris, Cass, Wood, Upshur, Marion, Smith, Gregg, Harrison, Cherokee, Rusk, Panola, Nacogdoches, Shelby, Angelina, San Augustine.
March 28, 2017 - The intersection of U.S. Highway 59 and U.S. Highway 84 in Timpson was the scene of a major two-vehicle crash Tuesday, March 28, 2017.
Timpson Volunteer Fire Department firemen directed traffic around the scene and assisted EMS with occupants from the two-vehicles involved. It was necessary for firemen to use Jaws-of-Life to assist in the removal of the roof and extrication of a passenger from a van involved in the incident.
According to Timpson Police Officer Michelle Ashworth, at 3:16pm a burgundy 2006 Pontiac Montana out of Louisiana was driven by Calvin Lee Easter, 52, of Atlanta, Ga. Easter was eastbound on U.S. 84 when he stopped at the stop sign at the intersection with U.S. 59.
Easter then proceeded through the stop sign, believing the location to be a four-way stop, causing a white 1998 Lincoln Town Car driven by Meoshia Shelton, 39, of Louisiana that was southbound on U.S. 59 to impact with the driver's side of the Pontiac, and rolling it onto its passenger side.
Shelton and her 11-year-old minor child passenger were transported by Timpson Volunteer Ambulance Service to Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital for treatment of unknown injuries. Myralin Easter, 75, a passenger from the Pontiac, was also transported to Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital by ACE EMS.
Calvin Easter and his other passenger Vaughnly Reed Easter, 74, were not reported to have received injury as a result of the crash.
Calvin Easter was issued a citation for failure to yield right of way, stop sign.
Officer Ashworth was assisted at the scene by DPS Trooper Dustin Ramos.
March 28, 2017 - Emergency personnel were dispatched to a single-vehicle crash involving a tree on CR 1011 March 24, 2017.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Troopers Jesse Fountain and Dustin Ramos, DPS Troopers were dispatched to a single-vehicle crash on CR 1011 just near CR 1005. Upon arrival, it was determined a brown Dodge Caliber driven by Miguel Palma-Lopez, 33, of Center was southbound at an unsafe speed for road conditions. Palma-Lopez stated a truck was northbound at the same time at an unsafe speed when he attempted to dodge the truck to the right and collided with a tree.
Palma-Lopez and his passenger Rigoberto Modena, 36, were both transported by ACE EMS to Nacogdoches Medical Center - Center Emergency Department for treatment of unknown injuries.
Palma-Lopez was issued citations for no driver's license and unsafe speed.
Shelby County Sheriff's Deputies assisted at the scene.
March 25, 2017 - A female juvenile who has been missing from Shreveport, LA since Dec. 19, 2016 turned herself in to the Shelby County Sheriff's Office March 25 at 10:47 a.m.
According to Shelby County Sheriff Willis Blackwell, Natalyia Theresa Rogers, 17, entered the SCSO this morning and spoke with Deputy Peter Davis. Rogers told Davis that she had been staying in Center with Samantha Nix.
Rogers said that she turned herself in because she was in need of medications and was starting to harm herself.
Rogers is currently being held at the SCSO while transportation arrangements are made to take her back to Shreveport, LA.
No further information is available at this time.
Submitted by Leah Chase
March 24, 2017 - The National Weather Service in Shreveport has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Southwestern De Soto Parish in northwestern Louisiana, Northwestern Sabine Parish in northwestern Louisiana, and Eastern Shelby County in eastern Texas until 1015 PM CDT.
At 938 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Patroon, or 12 miles southeast of Center, moving northeast at 50 mph.
HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees.
Locations impacted include Mansfield, Logansport, Patroon, Shelbyville, Neuville, Huxley, South Mansfield, Keachi, Grand Cane, Longstreet, Stanley, Hurstown and Jordans Store.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS
Remain alert for a possible tornado! Tornadoes can develop quickly from severe thunderstorms. If you spot a tornado go at once into the
basement or small central room in a sturdy structure.
For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building.
A tornado watch remains in effect until 3AM CDT for northwestern Louisiana and eastern Texas.
March 24, 2017 - Tornado Watch 82 in in effect until 3am March 25, 2017 for the following counties: Angelina, Cherokee, Nacogdoches, Panola, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine and Shelby.
Strong to severe thunderstorms will move east across the area. Although damaging wind gusts main threat, tornadoes and large hail also possible. Brief but very heavy rainfall and frequent deadly lighting strikes can be expected as well.
March 24, 2017 - (Photos Submitted) - Fire claimed a house on Upper Arcadia Road Thursday, March 23, 2017 and the Center Fire Department responded to extinguish the flames.
According to the Center Fire Department (CFD), at 5:40pm firemen responded to the scene at 566 CR 1435 to the home owned by Charles Paxton who had been doing some construction to the residence with the intent of moving in at a later date.
For an unknown reason, the house ignited into flames and quickly became fully involved. The CFD delivered a couple of loads of water to the scene using their tanker truck and used a grass truck to prevent further spread of a grass fire which developed as a result of the house fire.
The firemen went back in service at the fire station at 9:20pm.
March 24, 2017 - An incident occurred Wednesday, March 22, 2017 at the Shelby County Courthouse resulted in one courtroom being locked as a precaution and not the whole courthouse.
Christopher Jamar Cartwright of Shelbyville was scheduled to appear in the 123rd Judicial District Court of Judge LeAnn Kay Rafferty Wednesday morning. Upon entering the courthouse, he was instructed by Shelby County Deputy Danny Brown to empty items in his pockets before passing through the metal detector and being allowed to go upstairs to the District courtroom which is standard procedure.
Cartwright displayed an agitated behavior and was speaking loudly to Deputy Brown drawing the attention of others in the building. One employee who was traveling upstairs to the courtroom of Rafferty did instruct Courthouse Security, Bailiff Officer Walter Shofner, of the situation occurring downstairs between Deputy Brown and Cartwright.
Officer Shofner then proceeded downstairs with two additional deputies in the courtroom to assess the situation and before they arrived, Cartwright left the building.
According to Officer Shofner, he was later informed Judge Rafferty's courtroom was locked after the deputies left to go downstairs. However, the courthouse was not locked-down. Officer Shofner said, "We came to see what was going on and he left, got in the car and left. [He] left real fast, he was mad I guess. He was later stopped by some other departments for some other reasons, not because of what happened here."
Cartwright was arrested by the Center Police Department Sergeant Ricky King at 12:39pm on March 22, 2017 and he was transferred to the Shelby County Jail on March 23, 2017 for possession of a controlled substance.
Cartwright was to appear in court Wednesday morning for three indictments filed February 1, 2017 in the Judicial District Court of Shelby County.
Due to Cartwright not appearing in court Wednesday morning, three orders were filed forfeiting Cartwright's bonds and capias issued for arrest with a bond preset at $30,000 with a hearing required for each of the three indictments.
Two indictments were for Obstruction or Retaliation, third degree felony, alleging on February 26, 2016 Cartwright threatened to harm Trooper Dustin Ramos, as a public servant. The third indictment was for Tampering with or Fabricating Physical Evidence, third degree felony, alleging on February 26, 2016 Cartwright during the arrest of an individual intentionally concealed or removed items from the vehicle with intent to impair its availability as possible evidence.
The courthouse was open the entire day other than vehicle registration being closed for hardware updates.
Judge Rafferty is on the Commissioners' Court Agenda for Monday, March 27 to address the Court about security issues.
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