Dike Man Accused Of Evading Police In Vehicle
A Dike man was charged with evading arrest or detention with a vehicle Saturday night, after driving for a mile when police attempted to stop him.
Sulphur Springs Police Officer Adrian Pruitt at 11:47 a.m. May 4 attempted to stop a Toyota 4Runner in the 1500 block of East Shannon Road for a traffic violation. However, instead of pulling over, the driver of the vehicle continued driving, with Pruitt following behind with the overhead lights on his patrol vehicle on, the officer alleged in arrest reports. The car reportedly continued for a bout a mile before stopping on Shannon Road, Pruitt alleged in arrest reports.
The driver, identified in arrest reports as 46-year-old Eric Vincent Klemptner of Dike, allegedly told the officer he was going to drive to Dike with the officer following him because he didn’t want his vehicle towed. The officer took the man into custody and to jail for evading arrest or detention with a vehicle, which was impounded, according to arrest reports.
A records check showed Klemptner to be wanted for driving while license invalid and failure to appear, resulting in additional charges.
Klemptner remained in the county jail Monday evening. His bond was set at $5,000 on the evading arrest or detention with a vehicle charge, according to jail reports. Fines for the outstanding warrants totaled $906.70, according to arrest reports.
South Sulphur Volunteer Fire Department Recognized
South Sulphur Volunteer Fire Department member Chris and Chief Jim Rich are recognized by Hopkins County Fire Chief Andy Endsley and Hopkins County Commissioners Court for their perseverance and dedicated service to the community.
South Sulphur Volunteer Fire Department was recognized by Hopkins County Fire Chief Andy Endsley and the Hopkins County Commissioners Court for service to the community.
The officials presented South Sulphur VFD Chief Jim Rich and member Chris Rich with a proclamation for their department’s continued dedication during the Monday morning commissioners court session.
The South Sulphur VFD was started with a nine person roster as Peerless VFD. The department was renamed in 2016 as South Sulphur VFD, and serves the Peerless, Emblem, Ridgeway, Good Neighbor and Pleasant Grove communities as well as South Sulphur State Park.
The proclamation recognizes the dedication and perseverance of the members over the years in providing fire protection to Hopkins County; currently there are only two members.
The recognition is part of Hopkins County Fire Department’s 20th year anniversary celebration, during which one volunteer fire department is being recognized each month for their continued service to the community.
Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsom also reported Dan Flynn sent congratulation to Hopkins County Fire Department from the State of Texas House of Representatives for 20 years of service to the community.
Pittsburg Man Jailed on Felony DWI Charge
A 50-year-old Pittsburg man was arrested Saturday night for driving while intoxicated, marking at least the third time he has been charged with the offense, according to arrest reports.
Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Chris Sorley reportedly stopped a Chevrolet Trail Blazer after observing it traveling 80 miles per hour in a 65 mph speed zone on State Highway 11.
After making contact with the driver, identified in arrest reports at Mario Aguilar, Sorley noted Aguilar to have enlarged pupils and red eyes; he also detected an alcohol odor on Aguilar’s breath, the trooper alleged in arrest reports.
Aguilar reportedly admitted to drinking one beer, then was determined using standard field sobriety tests to be intoxicated, resulting in Aguilar’s arrest for driving while intoxicated-third or more offense. Aguilar then admitted to drinking six beers before driving, Sorley alleged in arrest reports.
Aguilar was transported to the county jail, where he tested 0.156 on breath tests, according to arrest reports. He was released from jail May 5 on $10,000 bond on the felony charge, according to jail reports.
Tasers, Fire Alarm Systems, Rail Rep Approved By Commissioners Court
Fire alarm systems, Tasers, maintenance guidelines, county road standards and procedures, a management provider for a hazardous mitigation grant program, and a Northeast Texas Rural Transportation board appointment were among the items Hopkins County Commissioner Court approved during their regular meeting Monday.
Rail Representation
Appointed to serve on Northeast Texas Rural Rail Transportation District Board of Directors was Neal Barker.
Newsom reported Barker to have “a lot of background in this area.”
“Thank you for this opportunity. I have personal interest in these rural rails and districts that formed to preserve the rail right-of-ways around Texas for commerce and commuter lines, things like that,” Barker said. “I am honored to be able to represent you on the board, to find out what’s best for Hopkins County, what’s best for the whole rail line, and report back to you, and try and do your wishes.”
Tasers
Approved Monday was a no-interest 5-year contract with Axion Enterprises Inc. for 10 Tasers for jailers, to be paid out of budgeted allocations with $2,000 down this year. This will provide 10 new devices for jailers to use; the ones currently in use are hand-me-downs from the patrol division, according to Hopkins County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Tanner Crump.
Fire alarm systems
Also approved was a contract with Fire Troll for fire alarm systems for the county clerk’s office, courthouse and annex buildings. The county will pay a one-time free of $1,588 this year, which includes installing of needed monitoring equipment and an annual fee, then $360 a year per building each year afterward. Fire protection systems for the new district clerk and district attorney’s offices and courthouse will be discussed at a later meeting, according Hopkins County Fire Chief Andy Endsley.
Road Rules, guides, repairs
The Commissioners Court also approved Rural Transportation Maintenance Guidelines For Hopkins County Roads For 2019-2020, County Road Standards and Procedures; and adopted a resolution designating GrantWorks as the management service provider for the Texas Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program application and project implementation.
Essentially, the documents update the guidelines for county roads that were passed in 2015-16, during a previous FEMA event. The county has Class 3 roads, and the types of materials used in their construction and maintenance. The standards are needed when applying for FEMA grants, and include county-wide averages for time and costs of repairing roads. In this case, the county has applied for funding for road damages caused by flooding in September and October; the funding would be used to return the roads back to pre-weather condition, explained Beth Wisenbaker, who is working on the FEMA projects on behalf of the county.
The county is also reapplying for hazardous mitigation grant funding for three projects in Precinct 1 and one project in Precinct 3. GrantWorks will serve as management service provider at a rate of $8,000. If the county receives the grant, 75 percent of that cost would be refunded in the grant, according to Wisenbaker.
Included in the application will be generators for all 12 county fire departments, including the substation in Brashear and Pickton-Pine Forest, as well as for a few of the rural water districts. These would be used in the event of a disaster. The information is included in the county’s hazardous mitigation plan as a critical infrastructure need, which will save an additional $2,500 benefit cost analysis fee per unit, according to Wisenbaker and Endsley.
Budget Amendments
On the recommendation of County Auditor Shannah Walker, the commissioners approved three amendments to the county budget: $96,131.06 in financing was moved to the fire department’s personal protective equipment fund to cover purchased safety gear; $169,500 from Alliance Bank moved into the Precinct 4 budget to finance a motor grader; and a $1,200 donation made last year by Yvonne McDaniel moved over into this year’s budget for purchase of cameras for environmental enforcement purposes.
The donation will provide 4-6 new cameras to be put up in trees and poles in efforts to catch environmental violations. The cameras currently in use are on loan from Ark-Tex Council of Governments, and would be returned. The new cameras also will have Bluetooth which will allow officials to access and download information from them remotely, instead of officials having to climb to access the device in the tree or pole to remove the card and either replace it or download it, then return it to the camera, according to Endsley.
Fire protection agreements
Hopkins County Commissioners Court opted to table discussion and consideration of proposed fire protection agreements for the volunteer fire departments, with the notation that it could be discussed during executive sessions. The commissioners following executive session for potential personnel discussion opted to taken on action on the item.
Commissioners were slated to attend the monthly meeting of volunteer fire departments at 6:30 p.m. Monday in the training room at Hopkins County Fire Station/ Intermodal Facility, 286 Texas Street.
Miscellaneous
Also approved during Monday’s meeting were requests from Farmers Electric Cooperative to construct electric power distribution facilities across County Road 2342/Spring Creek Circle, just south of County Road 2322; and to set an electric power pole in the county right-of-way on County Road 4772, west of County Road 4766.
DPS: Emory Woman Jailed On Pill, Methamphetamine Possession Charges
A 42-year-old Emory woman arrested on a prescription medication charge incurred additional charges, when a corrections officer found methamphetamine and a glass pipe in her possession upon arrival at the county jail, according to Texas Department of Public Safety reports.
Samantha Deann Lee, 42, of Emory was a passenger in a Kia Soul stopped by DPS Trooper Arturo Ugalde at 10:17 p.m. Saturday for impeding traffic on Interstate 30 east at mile marker 112. Both occupants in the vehicle showed signs of nervousness and criminal activity, and refused to allow officials to search of the vehicle, so the trooper called Sulphur Springs Police Officer Buddy Williams to bring police canine Kilo to conduct a free air search of the vehicle, Ugalde alleged in arrest reports.
Kilo gave a positive alert on the car, resulting in a probable cause search, according to arrest reports. Officials reportedly found a prescription bottle with a with a name on it different from both the driver and passenger. Lee allegedly admitted to possessing the medication, which she said was originally her mother’s, Ugalde wrote in arrest reports. The bottle contained several different pills, one of which was identified as Tramadol, a Penalty Group 3 controlled substance, resulting in Lee’s arrest for possession of less than 28 grams of a Penalty Group 3 controlled substance, the trooper alleged in arrest reports.
While being booked into jail, corrections officer Hayley Harren reportedly found three baggies containing suspected methamphetamine, two glucose test strip containers with suspected meth and a glass pipe with meth residue in Lee’s possession. The suspected methamphetamine weighed 44 grams, resulting in additional charges, Ugalde noted in arrest reports.
Lee remained in the county jail Monday morning on all four charges. Her bond was set at $25,000 bond on the possession of 4 gram or more but less than 200 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance charge, $2,000 on the possession of less than 28 grams of a Penalty Group 3 controlled substance charge, and $1,000 for possession of contraband in a correctional facility. She also was charged on a possession of drug paraphernalia, which carries a $325 fine, according to jail and sheriff’s reports.
Police: THC Found During I-30 Traffic Stop
A routine traffic stop on Interstate 30 resulted in location of suspected THC and a felony arrest Sunday night
Sulphur Springs Police Lt. Eddie Moon and Sgt. Joshua Shufeldt reportedly stopped Linda Ann Perkins, 44, of Memphis at 9:30 p.m. May 5 on Interstate 30 east at mile marker 125 for speeding and driving a Saturn Vie in the left lane and not passing. Upon contact, the officers alleged they could smell a marijuana odor emitting from the vehicle.
Liquid THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) was found in Perkins’ purse during a probable cause search of the vehicle. She reportedly claimed the items and was arrested for possession of 4 grams or ore but less than 400 grams of a Penalty Group 2 controlled substance.
Two other occupants were released with the vehicle, reports read.
Perkins was released from the county jail Monday on $20,000 bond on the controlled substance charge.
Sanders Resigns As City Public Safety Director
James “Jay” Sanders, who is reportedly under investigation, has officially resigned from his position as public safety director for the city of Sulphur Springs. Sanders turned in his resignation on Friday, according to Sulphur Springs City Manager Marc Maxwell.
Sanders has been on administrative leave since about March 22,
“due to his being involved in an ongoing criminal investigation by another agency. This action should not be viewed as an opinion on the merits of the investigation,” Maxwell stated in a press release March 25.
What, if any, impact the resignation would have on the investigation would be up by Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, Maxwell said.
Jason Ricketson will continue as acting police chief, and Tim Vaughn as acting fire chief for the city, Maxwell said.
SSHS Wildcats Baseball Area Competition Schedule
Wildcats Baseball Playoff Series for Area Round is Firmed Up
It appears the Wildcats’ baseball team will be playing Joshua in the Area round series this Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Sunday evening Wildcats Baseball Coach Jerrod Hammack said the two teams had agreed to play game one Thursday at 7 p.m. in Prosper with game two Friday at 7 p.m. in Prosper. A third game, if necessary, would be played on Saturday with details still to be determined. Coach Hammack and Athletic Director Greg Owens were working Sunday evening to firm up details with Joshua. The Wildcats come into the series with a 17-10 record and they have won seven straight games. The Wildcats defeated Hallsville in a bi-district series two games to zero winning 3-2 last Wednesday and 4-3 on Saturday with both games at Mike Carter Field in Tyler. The Wildcats are the #4 playoff seed in their district, District 15-5A. Joshua downed Mesquite Poteet two games to one winning the deciding game Saturday afternoon. Joshua is the #3 playoff seed from District 14-5A.
Lady Cats Softball Coach David Carrillo Releases Regional Quarterfinal Series Versus Hallsville
Lady Cats Softball Coach David Carrillo released the Lady Cats’ Regional Quarterfinal schedule next week against former district foe Hallsville. All games will be at Grand Saline on Thursday and Friday (May 9-10). Game one will be Thursday at 6:30 p.m.Game two will be Friday at 5:30 p.m. and game three, if necessary, will take place after game two. The Lady Cats have defeated Whitehouse in bi-district 14-4 and 6-3 and Midlothian in area 10-0, 10-1. The Lady Bobcats got by Lindale in bi-district 7-2 and outlasted North Forney in area losing game one 3-2 and then winning game two 3-2 and game three 5-2. As district foes last season, the two teams split games. The Lady Cats won at Hallsville 7-3 and then the Lady Bobcats won at Lady Cat Park 10-4.
