Collision With Train Kills Somerville Student
Burleson County Tribune
• Somerville High School staff and students and local residents were stunned and saddened by the Nov. 19 death of Ah’Mari Rai Mouton, 18, in a train-vehicle accident at a BNSF crossing on Switchback Rd. The accident occurred at 7:48 a.m. as she was traveling in a black Nissan Altima car on the west side of the railroad tracks headed east, said Somerville Police Chief Jake Sullivan. Sullivan said the crossing arms and flashing lights at the crossing were activated, and she had driven through the intersection without stopping. Two other vehicles, a truck and a car, had gone ahead of her, first stopping and then crossing the tracks through the crossing arms. A southbound BNSF train had stopped on the tracks but a northbound train approached and collided with the right side of her car, knocking the car off the tracks and into the west side bar ditch, ejecting her and leaving the car upside down. Mouton was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle.
Wharton Journal Spectator
• The Wharton Independent School District plans to name a candidate to replace former athletics director Chad Butler.For ten days the community had the opportunity to fill a web survey and provide input on the next athletics director. Wharton ISD received 186 surveys. The new WISD athletics director will begin working Jan. 3, 2022.
Brenham Banner-Press
• A two-vehicle accident in Northeast Washington County cost one passenger her life and the other three people in the same vehicle to be sent to the hospital with injuries the night of Nov. 22. The deceased, a seven-month-old female, suffered incapacitating injuries and was later pronounced dead at Baylor Scott & White Hospital in Brenham. The infant was a passenger in a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee, which was also occupied by two more passengers - Rodolfo Navarro, 28, of Brenham; a two-year-old male: and the driver, Mayra Reyes Gonzalez, 27, of Brenham. According to the Department of Public Safety reports, the Jeep Grand Cherokee was traveling eastbound on Hwy. 105 just east of the FM 390 intersection when it stopped with the intent to make a left turn onto a private driveway. While waiting for the turn, a 2006 Dodge 2500 pickup truck also traveled eastbound on SH 105. The driver of the Dodge, a 16-year-old male from Washington, failed to control his speed and ran into the back of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. The accident took place at approximately 7:34 p.m., according to DPS reports.
Hallettsville Tribune-Herald
• Local schools in Hallettsville were placed in a shutdown mode late morning, Nov. 17 due to an unknown subject roaming near the schools and allegedly carrying a weapon. According to a report from the Hallettsville Police Department, a shutdown order was issued around 11:50 a.m. by HPD due to a suicidal subject seen carrying a weapon in the area. The report said that once the subject was located and weapon secured, the schools were reopened. According to the Facebook post from Sacred Heart Catholic School and Hallettsville ISD, the schools were notified at 12:20 p.m. that the lockdown was lifted.
The Shiner Gazette
• Shiner St. Paul High School senior Jake Yackel recently gave his school just one more thing to smile about. A few days after two of his fellow seniors were named semifinalist for the National Merit Scholarship Awards (Juliana Davis and Rebecca Wagner), Yackel was told that he been picked from a pool of more than 68,000 seniors nationwide.
• Hundreds turned out for Shiner Catholic School Cardinal Booster Club’s 50th annual Turkey Shoot and fried chicken dinner held Nov. 21 at historic Wied Hall, with benefits going to the school’s athletic programs.