Elected Giddings Constable Declines Election to Post
Giddings Times & News
• In a special meeting on Monday, Dec. 6, the Lee County Commissioners Court officially accepted a “written declination of office” from Lee Dobos as Constable, Precinct 4. Dobos, who had been duly elected to that office by the voters from the Dime Box area precinct, was never sworn in because he failed to meet the qualification requirements of the office. Lee County Judge Paul Fischer and the Commissioners Court had given Dobos time to become eligible for the position, but has now written a letter declining his election to that post. Judge Fischer told the court that any decision on what to do about filling the constable position will have to be put on the agenda for the next regular meeting.
• A 59-year-old Giddings man was arrested for drunk driving after his pickup went backwards over two curbs through a resident’s yard and crashed into a parked sports car. Giddings police officers were dispatched to the 300 block of N. Harris St. on Friday, Dec. 3 at 7:46 p.m., where they arrived to find the back of the truck smashed into the driver’s side of a vehicle. It was later determined that Scott Lloyd Farris of Giddings was driving a white Dodge pickup facing eastbound on Houston St. when he somehow put the truck into reverse. The pickup traveled backwards for about one-half block before popping a curb and running across Alan and Amanda Casey’s front lawn, then jumped another curb at the corner and continued westbound. The truck went across N. Harris St. at an angle before crashing into a grey 2004 Mercedes Benz sedan, which was parked along the curb facing south. The driver got out of the truck and began walking away from the accident scene and was pursued on foot by the owner of the wrecked Mercedes. He reportedly fell down and the man in pursuit then called 911 to summon an ambulance.
Burleson County Tribune
• A Caldwell man was arrested on a felony intoxication manslaughter charge after the pickup he was driving crashed into a utility pole early Friday, Nov. 26, on FM 975, resulting in the death of passenger Victoria Pineda, 21, of Caldwell. Blake Botkin, 22, was charged and is now free on $25,000 bond, according to the Burleson County Sheriff’s Office. At 4:06 a.m. Botkin, failed to negotiate a curve on northbound FM 975, struck a barbed wire fence and then a utility pole with the right passenger side of his pickup. Pineda, a front-seat passenger was trapped in the vehicle and died at the scene.
• A Somerville woman died on Sunday night, Nov. 28, in a vehicle pedestrian accident on State Hwy. 36 just north of Somerville. Heidi Simpson, 68, was pronounced dead at the scene by Burleson County Pct. 4 Justice of the peace Robert Urbanosky after the 6 p.m. accident. Simpson was standing on the inside, southbound lane and was struck by a maroon 2017 maroon GMC Yukon SUV, also traveling southbound in the inside lane about two miles north of Somerville. Simpson had been traveling as a passenger in a southbound white 2001 Ford pickup. She got out of the truck and was standing in the inside lane when the accident occurred.
Wharton Journal Spectator
• An El Campo Middle School student was arrested on Thursday morning for allegedly bringing a gun and loaded ammo magazine to school. No one was harmed during the incident. A middle school student made a ’see something, say something’ report to a teacher and campus administrator concerning the alleged weapon in another student’s possession. Staff confronted the student in question, and found an unloaded handgun and a fully loaded magazine in his backpack. Teachers were able to quickly de-escalate the situation.
Hallettsville Tribune-Herald
• A two-vehicle Friday afternoon, Dec. 3 sent one of the drivers to an Austin hospital due to injuries sustained from the accident. According to a report from the Hallettsville Police Department, the accident took place around 4:30 p.m. Friday afternoon when a 2021 Toyota Tacoma collided with a 2018 Jeep Cherokee at the intersection of FM 530 and E. Fourth St. The report said the Tacoma, driven by a 16-year-old female of Yoakum failed to yield at the stop sign and collided with the Cherokee, driven by Cheyenne Hardin, 20, of Yoakum, who was traveling in the eastbound lane in the 1300 block of E. Fourth St. The Tacoma crashed into the right side panel of Jeep with Hardin being transported to St. David’s South Hospital in Austin by PHI Air Medical. The driver of the Tacoma was taken to Lavaca Medical Center by personal vehicle.
Thorndale Champion
• The body of a Cameron woman was discovered in the San Gabriel River on Sunday, Dec. 5. Authorities recovered the body of 55-year-old Christi Warrick Coufal of Cameron from the river. On Dec. 5 at approximately 7:52 a.m. the Milan County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a missing person and an investigation began. Later, at approximately 10:48 a.m. MCSO received a report of a lifeless person in the river, approximately 15 miles away in the San Gabriel River. Later on Sunday the body was identified. The death is being investigated as a homicide at this time until evidence determines otherwise. The Texas Ranges have joined the investigation.
Burleson County Tribune
• Caldwell ISD students and staff were stunned and saddened by the Friday, Dec. 3, death of Ryan Hooper, 29, in an 18-wheeler-SUV accident at the intersection of State Hwy. 21 West and West OSR at 6:30 a.m. Hooper, of Bryan-College Station, taught seventh-grade character education at Caldwell Junior High School and coached junior high football and high school basketball, school district officials said. Hooper was driving the SUV, and the driver of the 18-wheeler failed to yield the right of way while making a left turn from State Hwy. 21 to OSR. The driver of the 18-wheeler has been cooperating with the investigation, according to the police’s release, and was issued a citation for failing to yield right of way.
Wharton Journal Spectator
• An El Campo man is prison-bound for his role in a Willie Bell Park shooting initially labeled a riot. A large crowd had gathered July 2, 2018, for an Independence Day celebration in the 720 W. Second park honoring Willie Bell, an El Campoan who pitched in the Negro League inaugural World Series in 1924. Police estimate five to 12 rounds were fired. Multiple rounds struck a parked vehicle with shattered glass flying across a four-month-old baby resting inside. One additional vehicle was hit. Thirteen men were ultimately arrested and charged for an assortment of crimes, as many as 20 had been suspects. The skirmish was likely over a woman. Lloyd Semaj Greenly, 30, of El Campo was one of the three people police believe fired the shots that day.