Although Not Present for Court, Crump Found Guilty, Sentenced
Although not present for the second day of her trial Tuesday December 12, 2017, a Hopkins County Jury found Keri Amanda Crump, 28, of Sulphur Springs guilty of Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 less than 1-gram. The guilty verdict was delivered around 9:30 a.m. and the sentencing phase got underway 15 minutes later. Before 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, the jury sentenced her to two years in state jail and assessed a $10,000 fine.
Ms. Crump was in attendance Monday. Her absence Tuesday means that law enforcement is now seeking her, according to Assistant District Attorney Clay Harrison
In April, 2017 Crump was the driver and sole occupant of a vehicle that had been involved in a single vehicle crash that occurred on I-30 eastbound at the 111-mile marker. Crump admitted to deputies at the scene she had smoked PCP just prior to the crash. When arrested by DPS on Airport Road Sunday around 6 p.m., she also admitted to the trooper that she was under the influence of PCP. She also admitted backing out while driving after smoking the PCP. In a search of the vehicle, three cigar type cigarettes were found. They appeared to be moist which was consistent with being dipped in liquid PCP, according to the arresting officer. A small vial of suspected PCP was found secreted in a cigarette package. She was taken to CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs and then to Hopkins County Jail.
Crump was indicted by a Hopkins County Grand Jury in August of this year.
In a summary of the case, Assistant District Attorney Harrison wrote, “After hearing the testimony of several witnesses, the jury heard a recorded jail telephone call made by the defendant on the night of her arrest. In the call, she blames her boyfriend for getting in trouble and states that the only reason she went to get the PCP was because he wanted to get high.
“The defendant then elected to testify. She told the jury that she doesn’t know why she crashed but that she might have accidentally smoked a cigarette with PCP on it. She said that her statements to the medical personnel and police officers were not reliable because she was intoxicated at the time. She attempted to explain her jail call to her boyfriend by saying that she was referring to PCP she had purchased for him a long time ago and that she was not aware on the date of the crash that any drugs were in her car.
“A forensic chemist from the DPS crime laboratory testified that the vial found in the defendant’s car contained PCP, as well as the cigarettes and cigars found next to the vial.
“After the defendant testified, the prosecutor offered evidence of several prior theft convictions, a felony conviction for Burglary of a Habitation, and a felony conviction for Possession of a Controlled Substance from 2014 in which she also smoked PCP and crashed her car in Hopkins County.
“The jury found the defendant guilty in approximately 9 and a half minutes.
“During sentencing, the State called Chief Investigator Corley Weatherford, HCSO, who is a qualified Drug Recognition Expert (DRE). He testified about the intoxicating effects of PCP. He also was one of the investigators from the 2014 PCP case.
“The State also called Detective David Gilmore, SSPD, who testified as a fingerprint expert about the defendant’s nine prior convictions including Assault, Theft, Burglary of a Habitation, Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Delivery of a Controlled Substance. The Defendant is currently on probation out of Dallas County for Robbery.
“The jury sentenced the defendant to the maximum of two years confinement in state jail and the maximum fine of $10,000. The defendant did not appear for the second day of trial but the Court proceeded in absentia. There are now active warrants for her arrest and she may be indicted for Bail Jumping/Failure to Appear, which in her case carries a range of punishment of up to 20 years in prison.
SSISD Board Hears Reports; Approves Personnel Changes
Monday morning, Sulphur Springs School Board heard a number of reports and approved personal changes during their December meeting.
Sulphur Springs School District Financial Accountability Rating for 2016-2017 is a perfect rating of “Superior” and the District auditors, Rutherford, Taylor and Company, stated the district received the best opinion or “Unmodified”.
The board approved the 2017-2018 District Improvement Plan and the TASB Localized Policy Manual Update. All members of the board have met or exceeded training requirements for the year.
PERSONNEL
Resignations
Karen Anderson Grade 2 Teacher Lamar Primary (Mid-Term)
Leticia Moreno Secretary SS Elementary (Mid-Term)
Carolyn Beth Grafton Spanish/History Teacher High School (End of year)
Retirement
Deann Dickens Math Teacher Middle School (Mid-Term)
New personnel
Arlett Monrreal Title I Bilingual Aide ECLC
Alexa Thomas Grade 2 Teacher Lamar Primary
Misty Carr SpEd Aide SS Elementary
Personnel Change New position/campus Former position/campus
Maria Garcia-Hildago Purchasing Clerk/Admin Food Services Admin. Asst./Admin
SSISD Foundation Awards $27,519 in Teacher Grants
The SSISD Education Foundation recently awarded $27,519 in teacher grants. The recipients were:
- Talisha Harris and Sylvia Ramos: $1200 for Echale Ganas! Bilingual tutoring connecting high school dual language speakers with Travis Primary bilingual students to provide academic assistance and positive role models.
- Tammy Burnside, Chelsea Holcomb, Emily Simpson, Maricela Resendez, Kristen Downs, Mary Surber, Kori Reed, Whitney Helffrich, and Karen Phillips: $5,091 to establish Growing STEM Kids activities at ECLC.
- Kelly Shutt: $1,390 for a Raspberry Pi powered photo booth that her Computer Science Class at SSMS will design and develop.
- Hayley Glenn, Bryan Cole, Lucy Adair, Kelly Holloman, Ryan Watts and Gene McKelroy: $7,990 to bring the Perot Museum Campus Outreach Program to SSMS Science classes.
- Sara Price and Steve Futch: $2,400 for Heart Knowledge in their athletic and PE classes at SSMS using heart rate monitors and pedometers to combine technology and fitness.
- Christi Emmert: $1,500 for Nino Percussion Classroom Cajon drums at Travis, Lamar and Bowie Primary school’s music classes.
- Holly Folmar, Tim Thomas, Karen Moreland, Silvestra Alexander, Angie Evans, Miranda Coleman, Kristen Kristin Potts, Frances Charlton, Monica Martinez and Stephanie Ross: $3,200 for Science Live Tower Gardens that will grow food vertical gardens at Douglas Intermediate School.
- Allison Mayes and Myshoni Crook: $2,215 for Sensory Diet Integration activities in their Sulphur Springs Elementary School classroom.
- Charla O’Brien, Renee Johnson, Maria Mendez, Carmen Contretas, Sulema Martinez and Kimberly Ewalt: $634 to establish a Dual Language Global Community at Sulphur Springs Elementary School.
- Todd McCoy and Desi Pharis: $1,000 to purchase equipment that will aid his math classes studying tangible conic sections and the Technical Theater Classes designing and building sets at SSHS.
- Paula Haas and Lynn Smith: $800 to establish the Cat Shack retail store inside SSHS. Multiple classes at SSHS will help with inventory, financials, graphic design and staffing.
If anyone is interested in donating to the SSISD Education Foundation they can go to www.ssisdeducationfoundation.com
Commissioners’ Court Approves Crosstown Trail to Civic Center
Hopkins County Commissioners Court approved the segment of Crosstown Trail that will proceed from Buford Park to the civic center with a slight alteration of the path to provide greater safety for pedestrians in the area where livestock are often found. The approval came Monday morning during their regular court session.
In other action, the court approved a final plat for the Sprague Subdivision in Precinct 2 and approved a service agreement to handle medical waste at Hopkins County Jail.
SSHS FFA Savannah Allen One of State’s Top Speakers, District FFA Officer Philip Rater Conducts Workshop at Greenhand Camp
According to FFA Sponsor John Holland, Sulphur Springs FFA member Savannah Allen competed in the Texas FFA State Leadership Development Event contest held in Huntsville, Tx at Sam Houston State University. Savannah had to advance out of District as well as Area to be able to compete at the State Greenhand Creed speaking contest. At the start of the year there were 641 hopeful contestants trying to make it to State Contest with only 20 of the very best making it. Savannah had to advance out of the first heat at state by being in the top 5 of her heat. The next day she competed with the top 10 best speakers across the state and placed 7th overall! Sulphur Springs FFA and SSISD are very proud of her hard work and dedication. In addition to Savannah competing at State Contest her and 6 other Freshman from SS FFA traveled to Lindale Tx for the Area 6 Greenhand Camp this past weekend. This camp is designed to help freshman get out of their comfort zone and it shows them ways to become future servant leaders not only in the FFA but in the local communities as well. In addition to the Freshman who attended, Phillip Rater (who represents SS FFA as a Paris District FFA Officer) helped put on workshops on how to advocate for Agriculture. As you can see throughout the semester SS FFA members have lived out the FFA motto of “Learning to do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve.”
Savannah Allen places 7th in State Competition in Huntsville, Texas
Austin Keys, Braylee Brewer, Annie Horton, Savannah Allen, District Officer Philip Rater, Maurie Flecker, Elida Miller, Jace Mayers at Greenhand Camp in Lindale
Wildcats Defeat Paris
Over the years, Paris has been a tough basketball match up for the Wildcats. On Monday night (December 11) before a large crowd, the Wildcats took a dominating win over Paris, 64-41 in Wildcats Gym.
Wildcats Coach Clark Cipoletta said the game represented some of the best team basketball the Wildcats have played this year. He noted the team had more than 25 assists. Coach Cipoletta called it San Antonio Spurs type basketball and he said the unselfish play led to good shot selection. The Wildcats had ten three-point baskets from five different players.
Then there was that trademark Wildcats defense. For the first three quarters, the Wildcats allowed Paris less than ten points a quarter. The Wildcats led 15-6 after one quarter, 31-14 at the half and 46-23 after three quarters. With Wildcats’ reserves playing for most of the fourth quarter, both teams scored 18 points in the quarter and the Wildcats won, 64-41.
The Wildcats were led by Keaston Willis who had 13 points including four three-pointers. Victor Iwuakor was strong inside with 12 points. All thirteen Wildcats played and eleven of them got on the score sheet. Other scorers included Godsgift Ezedinma with 8 points, Michael Jefferson and Bryson Lynn had 6 points each on two three-point baskets, Dedric Godbolt had 5 points, Xavier Cork had 4 points, Jeremiah Roland and Ivan Clayton each had 3 points on a successful three-point shot and Cameron Kahn and Day Day Hall added 2 points apiece.
Taking in the game was a coach from the University of North Texas. The Wildcats, ranked #11 in Class 5A, improved their season record to 14-1. The Wildcats play again Friday at Royse City at 7:30 p.m. It’s the last non-district game for the Wildcats before district play gears up on December 19 as Pine Tree will visit Wildcats Gym at 7:30 p.m.
Wildcat Game Day
Wildcats Basketball Coach Clark Cipoletta said the Union Grove Chick-fil-A Tournament was a really great one for the Wildcats this past weekend. The Wildcats won the championship taking all four games they played there and they are now 13-1 and are ranked #11 in state. Coach Cipoletta said the Wildcats saw a lot of different things including zone and man on man defenses, a stalling team and fast paced teams. He said the experience would be super beneficial for the Wildcats in the future. Coach Cipoletta said the Wildcats grew as a team and got better. He was pleased all thirteen of his players got to play in the championship game Saturday afternoon against Willis. The Wildcats also didn’t have to meet Mount Pleasant in the tournament. Neither staff wanted to play a pre-district game. The Wildcats won a coin toss and played in the Gold Bracket while Mount Pleasant ended up in the Silver Bracket. As good as the Wildcats have been, Coach Cipoletta said the team still has to get better if they have really big plans for the rest of the season. The Wildcats play Paris Monday in Wildcats Gym at 7:30 p.m. We will have this game on KSST Radio and we will videotape it for replay on Channel 18 on Suddenlink Cable. The Wildcats will travel to Royse City for a game Friday at 7:30 p.m. Coach Cipoletta said both of those teams will challenge the Wildcats.
Here are the Wildcats point totals for the Saturday afternoon championship game win over Willis, 79-60. Keaston Willis had 20 points, Godsgift Ezedinma and Victor Iwuakor 11 points each, Michael Jefferson and Xavier Cork 8 points apiece, Dedric Godbolt 7 points, Day Day Hall 6 points, Cameron Kahn 4 points, Bryson Lynn and Iverson Wade 2 points.
Cattle Custody Hearing Moved to District Courtroom Wednesday
The custody hearing concerning the future of hundreds of head of cattle seized by the Hopkins County Sheriff’s deputies and the SPCA of Texas will be held on Wednesday, December 13 at 1:30 p.m. in the District Courtroom of the Hopkins County Courthouse. The hearing will only focus on the custody of the cattle and not any criminal charges against the owner of the cattle, George Lawrence Bergin, 61, of Sulphur Springs. Bergin was charged with a state jail felony, which carries a punishment of up to two years in state jail and up to $10,000 fine if found guilty.
texas flag courthouse
Bergin was in Hopkins County jail following his arrest for Cruelty to Livestock-Fail to Provide, a state jail felony. At first it was thought there were between 200 and 400 head of starving cattle that appeared to be suffering from malnutrition. That number has increased according to Justice of the Peace B. J. Teer who will preside during the custody hearing. The livestock were transported to an undisclosed location to be treated by a Veterinarian and to receive proper nourishment.
According to the SPCS of Texas, Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office began seizing and taking custody of the allegedly cruelly treated, starving head of cattle from six Hopkins County properties near Sulphur Springs, on Monday, December 4. The animals did not have access to appropriate food or water and were not receiving proper care. Due to the severity of their conditions, two head of cattle were euthanized on the scene by a veterinarian. Three deceased cattle were also found today on the properties along with an unknown number of skeletal remains of cattle.
The cattle were found on six different properties encompassing an estimated 2,700 acres of bare pasture land. Most of the cattle are emaciated. No hay was found on the properties. The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office and the SPCA of Texas have received multiple complaints of animal cruelty in this case and attempted to work with the owner to bring the animals’ conditions into compliance with Texas Health and Safety Code. As the animal owner refused to provide sufficient appropriate food, water and care for the cattle, the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office and the SPCA of Texas agreed that it was in the animals’ best interest to obtain a seizure warrant and remove them.
