Flatonia Police Chief Reports On August Activity, Arrests

Flatonia Police Chief Lee Dick presented his activity report for the month of August to the Flatonia City Council on Tuesday. Dick reported that officers made 14 traffic stops and conducted two felony arrests last month.

On Aug. 1, Officer Llanes and Officer George were dispatched to the 200 block of West South Main St. in reference to a man that was asleep on the sidewalk. Officers were able to wake the man and after speaking to him they established that he was just tired and wanted to go home. His family was contacted, they picked him up, and took him home.

On Aug. 3, Officer Kucera received a complaint about a vehicle occupied by a male driver that had been seen driving recklessly through some of the neighborhoods in Flatonia. The vehicle and driver were identified, and Flatonia Police contacted them about the complaints and the issue was resolved.

On Aug. 4, Officer Stansberry was dispatched to an unknown disturbance off East Old Spanish Trail. Officer Stansberry and Chief Dick contacted the people in the home and were able to establish that it was a verbal disturbance. The parties were separated and there were no further incidents for the rest of the night.

On Aug. 4, Officer Kucera and Sergeant Pritchard were dispatched to a call at a local convenience store in reference to a subject that had been at the store most of the day and had begun to cause a disturbance. Contact was made with the subject and after identifying her and the vehicle she was in, it was determined that she was in possession of stolen property. The subject was placed under arrest and transported to the Fayette County Jail.

On Aug. 6, Officers Llanes and George were dispatched to an assault that occurred at the 300 block of E. Frontage. Upon arrival, contact was made with the parties involved and it was determined that an assault had occurred. The suspect was placed under arrest and transported to the Fayette County Jail and relinquished to jail staff for booking.

On Aug. 11, Flatonia Officers assisted Fayette County Sheriff’s Office deputies with traffic control as they handled a call involving a tractor-trailer combination that was engulfed in flames. Flatonia Fire and Schulenburg Fire both responded to the location and extinguished the fire.

On Aug. 16, Officer Llanes was dispatched to a suspected gas drive-off that occurred at the 500 block of East North Main St. Upon further investigation, the suspect was located. Contact was made, and it was determined that they had a problem with their bank. The subject returned to the location and paid the money owed for the gas.

On Aug. 16, Officer George assisted Fayette County EMS at a call on Highway 90. Officer George provided traffic control and once the patient, who was on foot, refused treatment, he was offered a courtesy ride to his residence.

On Aug. 20, Chief Dick, noted that Fayette County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch notified Fayette County EMS Medic 3 of a fall victim with a head laceration at the 600 block of South Hudson Street, in Flatonia. Medic 3 advised dispatch that they were in La Grange and asked if another EMS unit was south. At this time, a different EMS unit which was closer to Flatonia was dispatched instead. Chief realized that EMS was responding from a longer distance, therefore he responded to the scene to provide care until EMS arrived. The patient was transported to the hospital and her husband went by personally owned vehicle, and Chief returned to normal duties.

On Aug. 27, Flatonia Officers were advised that a lady suffering from Alzheimer’s had walked away from her home and could not be found. Several officers dispersed and began searching for her. After about 30 minutes the lady was located, her family was contacted, and she was promptly picked up.

On Aug. 31, The School Resource Officer reported that there was an unplanned fire alarm going off at the Flatonia Independent School District Campus. Sergeant A. Pritchard responded to the school and patrolled the area, making sure students were evacuated safely while the School Resource Officer made sure no one was left in the building. Fortunately, there was no real threat, students and staff returned to their normal duties.

On Aug. 31, Chief Lee Dick heard Fayette County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch notify the Flatonia Fire Department of a grass fire on Interstate 10 on the westbound side at the 662-mile marker. He responded to assist with traffic control and located several stopped vehicles on I-10. A vehicle pulling a trailer and travelling westbound had experienced a failure of the right trailer wheel assembly, causing the wheel to sheer away from the trailer.

The loss of the wheel caused the axle to drag on the asphalt roadway, creating sparks, and resulted in a small grass fire that had since been extinguished by the trailer owner and other motorists. Chief notified the Flatonia Fire Department of the correct location and that the fire was no longer burning. He then assisted the motorist with getting the trailer to a safe location until the owner could return later that evening and pick up the trailer and the contents loaded on it.