McQueen Sentenced to Five Years in Plea Bargain Agreement
Monday afternoon in Eighth Judicial District Court, Justin Joe McQueen plead guilty to the October, 2015, murder of Jesse Louis Vasquez. Vasquez died from gunshot wounds following a Sunday night shootout on Ingram Street in Sulphur Springs.
Justin Joe McQueen
McQueen, 19-years of age at the time of the shooting, was one of several who exchanged gunfire that night. Witnesses at the scene reported to police that a white male had left the scene. During questioning, an individual who had arrived at the scene informed officers that a man was behind a building near Dairy Queen on Main Street and wanted to give himself up. At that location, officers arrested McQueen. McQueen had injuries to his knees from jumping a fence. He was taken to HCMH ER where he was treated and released to Hopkins County Jail.
The shootout occurred following the exchange of text messages between Vasquez’s brother and a friend of McQueen. The gunfight occurred at the home of McQueen’s friend.
District Attorney Will Ramsay said the case held several difficult points. In a statement released by Ramsay, he stated, “As District Attorney, I made the decision to offer Mr. McQueen a sentence of 5 years in the state penitentiary in exchange for his plea of ‘guilty’ to the offense of murder.
“Each criminal case is based on a unique set of facts. This specific case presented some of the most difficult facts that I have encountered in over a decade of prosecuting cases. After meetings with the victim’s family and reviewing the totality of circumstances, the decision was made to seek a conviction for murder regardless of the relatively short amount of time Mr. McQueen would spend in prison.
“The prosecution of violent crime is a sacred duty to those of us in this office. This case presented us with very difficult decisions looking at the facts from many angles, but I believe this is the right move for our chief goal of justice.”
Green Sentenced to 12 Years for Injury to a Child
On the day a jury was to be selected to try an Injury to a Child case, Dewayne Green, 28 of Sulphur Springs plead guilty and following the sentencing phase of the trial was, just prior to noon, sentenced to 12 years in prison. Assistant District Attorney Matt Harris called CPS workers and others to testify in the morning sentencing hearing.
One CPS investigator told the court that this was not the first time CPS had been called to investigate abuse by Green. She stated that she had called police to assist in a call to Green’s residence for the protection of the children and for herself, noting that CPS workers are placed in difficult situations in some investigations. During her testimony District Judge Eddie Northcutt reprimanded three individuals seated behind the defendant and in the line of sight of the witness while being questioned by Defense Attorney Frank Hughes. The individuals were vigorously agreeing or disagreeing with the witness. Judge Northcutt found this a distraction for the witness.
Green was arrested by Hopkins County Deputy Scott Davis on Sulphur Springs Police Department warrants for injury to a child, a felony 3, in July, 2016. Deputy Davis located Green at a residence on County Road 3562. Detective Sgt. David Gilmore told KSST News that Child Protective Services contacted him regarding the injuries sustained by a 6-year old and 3-year old. One of the children was a biological child and their other a step-child of Green. Gilmore stated that the children had sustained bruising on the chest and belt marks on their legs and abdomen, along with some scarring and tearing. The marks were a result of discipline, Green stated. Gilmore stated that following interrogation, Green confessed to the acts.
Arrest Made Due to City Code Violations
A well littered yard and other city code violations resulted in the arrest of a 42-year old Sulphur Springs woman over the weekend. The woman paid her fines and was released Monday morning.
The code violations at her College Street address included Accumulation of Rubbish or Garbage, Accumulation of Trash, Carrion, Filth, etc, Dog at large, No Vaccination Against Rabies, three counts of Inoperative Vehicle on Premises.
According to Municipal Judge B. J. Teer the length of time given the woman to clean the yard will depend on the code officer.
Como-Pickton FFA Teams Win at San Angelo Show
Winning Milking Parlor builders Tyler Osborne, Heston Wilburn, Denton Lawson and Robert Flewelling
At San Angelo Ag Mechanics Show, Como-Pickton FFA exhibited five projects in the show.
Receiving a Red Ribbon – Farm Gate built by Osvaldo Gutierrez, Shawn Murray, and Brynden Andrews
Blue Ribbon Projects:
Smoker Trailer – Built by Robert Flewelling
Blue Ribbon and Placing in class Projects:
Electrical Livestock Equipment
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1st in Class – Portable Milking Parlor built by Breanna Bowen, River Thomas, Cameron Matthews, and Tristen Sickles
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Specialty Hauling Trailers
1st in Class – Specialty Equipment Hauling Trailer built by Daniel Galvan, Parker Cummings, and Melvin Jackson
- Cattle Handling Equipment
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2nd in Class – Cattle Squeeze Chute built by Robert Flewelling, Tyler Osborne, Heston Wilburn, and Denton Lawson
Construction Trades Contests
Exhibiting a blue ribbon Gun Chest and advancing to State – Melvin Jackson and Dakota Payton
1st Place Construction Materials ID Contest – Dakota Payton and Jesus Gonzales
1st Place Construction Tool ID – Melvin Jackson
Welding Contests
1st Place Individual Welding contest – Tyler Osborne
7th Place Individual Welding contest – Daniel Glavan
4th Place Welding Fabrication Team – Robert Flewelling, Osvaldo Gutierrez, River Thomas
Lady Cats Enter District Play Tuesday With 13-4 Season Record.
The Lady Cats’ softball team lost to Frisco Wakeland, 6-5 late Friday and then ended play in a Wylie tournament Saturday with wins over Wylie East, 7-5 and Mesquite Horn, 11-0. The Lady Cats season record is now 13-4. They will open district play Tuesday night at Greenville.
Frisco Wakeland broke a 5-5 tie with a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to get a walk off win. Both teams had 7 hits and made 1 error. Bailey Haggerty got the pitching loss throwing six and two-thirds innings and striking out 5. Sadie Stroud had 3 hits and drove in 3 runs. Mia Pharis had 2 runs batted in. Hannah Crowson had 2 hits. Kristen Allen, Alyssa Abron and Jaye Doughtie drew walks.
Saturday, Wylie East got off to a good start with 2 first inning runs. The Lady Cats scored 3 in the first, with single runs in the second and third with 2 more runs in the fourth to take a 7-2 lead. Wylie East rallied for three runs in the last inning, the top of the fifth, but could not catch up. The Lady Cats had five hits and Wylie East had 7. Wylie East committed five errors. Abron had 2 hits and Allen drew 2 more walks. Brinklee Drive drove in four runs. Alli Fite had seven strikeouts in the pitching circle.
The Lady Cats seemed to put everything together in their last tournament game against Mesquite Horn. Haggerty threw a three hit shutout over three innings and she struck out 5. The Lady Cats had a six run first inning, a four run third inning and a one run fourth inning. The Lady Cats had 12 hits and made no errors. Horn made 5 errors. Abron, Stroud and Kelsey Wallace had two hits each. Wallace had 3 RBI’s and Allen and Stroud drove in 2 runs. Abron, Driver and Wallace got walks.
Wildcats Wrap Up Lindale Tourney; Grayson County Classic Next
The Wildcats’ baseball team wrapped up play in the Robbie Surratt Memorial Tournament in Lindale Saturday with a loss and a tie. The Wildcats lost to Van, 9-7 and then tied Lindale, 1-1 when rain fell in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Against Van, the Wildcats got off to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Mason Buck walked, stole a base and scored on a Ryan Humphries’ single. Triston McCormick also singled. Dawson Draper drove in Humphries with a ground out. Easton Silman also had an RBI single. Van then scored 5 runs in the second inning and 3 more in the third to take an 8-3 lead. The Wildcats put up another 3 runs in the bottom of the third to cut the lead to 8-6. Draper singled, and Silman and Kamren Harrison both walked. Jamal Hobson-Cox hit a sacrifice fly to score one run and Buck singled in a second run. The Wildcats reduced the lead to one, 8-7 with a single tally in the bottom of the fifth. Hobson-Cox, Gaven Millsap and Buck all singled with Buck driving in Hobson-Cox. Two runners were stranded leaving the Wildcats one run behind. The Vandals tacked on an insurance run in the top of the sixth. The Wildcats had 10 hits. Buck was 2 for 3 with one run scored and 2 RBIs. Millsap was 2 for 3. Draper was 2 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI.
Against Lindale, Ryan Humphries threw a five inning no hitter but still had to settle for a tie. The Wildcats scored the game’s first run in the top of the third inning when Kyle Dodd singled and Kaden Argenbright drove in the run with a ground out. Lindale tied up the game in the bottom of the fifth using a walk, two ground outs and a wild pitch that allowed the tying run to score. The Wildcats had 5 hits. Argenbright, Triston McCormick, Michael Arnold, Dodd and Millsap all had singles.
The Wildcats are now 3-4-1 for the season. They will plan in the Grayson County Classic this Thursday through Saturday.
seball
SSISD Board Meets Monday, March 6th
When the SSISD Board of Trustees meets Monday, March 6, 2017, at 6 p.m. in the Administration Building Board Room, the Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce Leadership Class will be special guests for public forum. The board will hear a number of reports and take action on several items as well.
Reports on Instructional Technology, football stadium project, and head start will be heard.
Actions items include ordering a school board election canceled, approving a resolution concerning the A-F Accountability rating system, proposals for construction of baseball batting cage and concession stand, and funds for teacher training.
The board will also consider contracts for professional staff and administration, resignations, reassignments, and employment of new staff.
Sulphur Springs City Council Agenda for March 7th
Sulphur Springs City Council meets in regular session Tuesday, March 7, 2017 at 7 p.m. in the council room, 201 North Davis Street. An executive session will precede the meeting at 6 p.m. The agenda for the meeting:
AN EXECUTIVE SESSION WILL BE HELD AT 6:00 P.M. IN ACCORDANCE WITH TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, TITLE 5, CHAPTER 551.074, PERSONNEL MATTERS, PERTAINING TO THE HIRING OF A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR; IN ACCORDANCE WITH TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, TITLE 5, CHAPTER 551.072, DELIBERATIONS CONCERNING THE ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY; AND, IN ACCORDANCE WITH TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, TITLE 5, CHAPTER 551.071, CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY REGARDING PENDING LITIGATION.
The regular meeting of the Sulphur Springs City Council will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 in the Council Room at 201 North Davis Street. The following items will be discussed:
- Pledge of Allegiance to the United States Flag, Texas Flag, and invocation.
- Presentations, proclamations, and announcements.
(A) Texas History Month Proclamation
- Manager’s report will include status report of capital improvements, wastewater treatment plant operations, accidents and claims for the month, and a review of expenditures and revenues.
- Discussion/action on Consent Agenda.
- Discussion/action on independent audit for the City of Sulphur Springs 2016.
- Discussion/action on Ordinance No. 2699 rezoning property located at 516 Oak Avenue, being further described as Lot 8 of Block 40 2, from Multi Family (MF) to Light Commercial (LC).
- Discussion/action on a request by owner, Ricardo Chavarria, to replat property located at 105 Weaver, being further described as Lot 3 of Block 55, into three (3) Lots.
- Discussion/action on the adoption of the City of Sulphur Springs personnel policy.
- Discussion/action on Devoción Inc. site lease agreement to erect an antenna tower at 180 Middle Street.
- Discussion/action on approval of a contract between the City of Sulphur Springs and the Sulphur Springs Country Club (SSCC) to access and use treated effluent water.
- Discussion/action on bids and award of contract for concrete paving of Locust Street.
- Discussion/action on assignment of Airport Ground Lease for Lot 1220-05.
- Discussion/action on Executive Session item pertaining to the hiring of a Community Development Director.
- Discussion/action on Executive Session item regarding possible acquisition of real property for municipal use.
- Discussion only regarding donation to the Sulphur Springs Public Library.
- Discussion/action on Executive Session item regarding pending litigation.
- Visitors and public forum.
- Adjourn.
Small Amount of Marijuana + Drug Free Zone = State Jail Felony
Not wearing a seat-belt was the cause for the stop within 260 feet of Sulphur Springs Elementary School. However when James Ethan-Indyana Jones, 25, of Sulphur Springs was stopped Friday at 11:28 a.m., he told the officer his driver’s license was suspended and he did not have insurance.
During inventory of the vehicle, marijuana was located in the back seat floorboard.
Jones is in Hopkins County Jail charged with Possession of Marijuana more than 2 oz. but less than 4 oz. in a Drug Free Zone (a State Jail Felony) and driving with license invalid with previous conviction/suspension/without fine resolution.
Wood County Man in Hopkins County Jail Following Aggravated Assault Arrest
Texas Ranger John Vance arrested Jerry Wayne Boone was arrested at his Wood County Road 1326 residence at 9:05 a.m. Friday. Boone was wanted on two Wood County warrants for Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and one warrant for Aggravated Assault Causing Serious Bodily Injury.
Boone is in Hopkins County jail being held on a total of $150,000 in bonds.
