by Ralph Billings Sheriff's Report #500- Have a bit of catching up to do from last week….. four men in an Infiniti automobile reportedly just threw a can of beer at another vehicle on IH-45, windshield broken, Navarro County advised as no units close enough in our County to attempt apprehension. DPS Putz and Deputies to Mile 181, one 18-wheeler rearended another. Streetman VFD and DPS Putz to another accident, Mile 210.

Report from Wortham advises someone in Wortham just drove off without paying for gas…..And, to add insult to injury, they didn't take the nozzle out of their gas neck and made off with that too!..... But, apparently it was due to just absentmindedness rather than larceny as it turned out, as after just a minute the person returned to pay, and I assume, returned the gas nozzle. Lady on 75 reports air conditioner trouble, set it on 72 degrees and still shows 80. Yep, better be thankful for the 80, it may not be able to do much better. Too much humidity. Ours on the Jail roof have been huffing pretty heavy too.

Vehicle afire, HEB Mexia, Mexia PD advised. TPD Cordova to loud music, S. 5th. THDEMS to west 84, ady says can't move. Officer Peters to Streetman, complaint on speeding vehicle. FEMS to Sunset, Lady having possible stroke. Grandma calls, gave 10 year old grandson a cell phone….a 6th grade girl sent him pictures on his new phone of nudes, what'll she need to do? Give him a phone without that capability! Fairfield and Teague VFD's to FCR-511, tractor on fire.

Deputy Travis Robertson to FCR-601, complaint of girls on 4-Wheeler running wide open, not located. Deputy Elom dealing with case of missing dog, gone AWOL, found by another, carried elsewhere, to be returned. TPD Officers to Pine, Family Troubles. WPD Peters and Essary jail woman driver, Possession of Firearm By Felon. FPD advised of call from Taco Bell, customer not wanted, needs to disappear. FEMS assisting 84 year old, fell, struck head. THDEMS to FCR-890, chest pains.

Call advises of fight on Brookshire Bros. parking lot, FPD notified of same. Report of 2 year old too close to street on Sandy Oaks in Teague, TPD Howard to same. Electrical generator stolen in June recovered in woods, FCR-867. Complaint of starving horse, Wortham. TPD Howard to Pine, Theft of TV Receiver. Deputies Elom and McClelland to loud music, FCR-527. Dew VFD to tractor and baler on fire, South 75.

TPD Reed and Howard to Teague Lake, caller says others vandalizing dock. DPS Purnell arrests female DWI, Mile 198. FEMS to Wildwood, 49 year old with suspected heart problems. FEMS to FM-2570, man in coma. Deputy Shipley changes flat tire for Lady on FCR-521. Older man with Alzheimers leaves residence in Freestone, located in Groesbeck. Vehicle through fence, FCR-1171, driver to Jail by DPS Purnell, DWI.

Lady on FCR-1235 calls, "things going on, airplanes and noise. Things in air conditioning as well as refrigerator, won't let her rest and Officers doing nothing." She calls often, sees and hears things that just aren't there, poor soul. Deputy Willis to FM-833, man broke down, making resident a bit jittery. FEMS to FCR-1211, 19 year old very weak. DPS Putz to accident, FM-80 Donie area.

Deputies Aldrich and Willis to ER, Lady there says was following husband in another vehicle, he intentionally slammed on brakes, she hit rear of his vehicle, husband came back, struck her in face with wrench…..then carried her to ER. Upon contacting the husband, he said he was in process of leaving her, she chased him down in her vehicle, intentionally rammed his vehicle, lost control and struck tree head-on. Considering that she had Meth, Marijuana and Hydrocodone all in her blood stream, his story sounded far more plausible, especially coupled with the fact that he DID carry her to the ER. She will be charged with DWI and Dangerous Drugs.

TxDOT advised of tree down, South 75. Water over FM-39, Limestone Co. S.O advised so they can get barricades out. Electricity off, FCR-521, OnCor notified of same. Comm. Craig Oakes advised of tree down, FCR- 691. Another down across FCR-261, Comm. Stanley Gregory advised.

Saddened to hear of death of retired FPD Houston Flowers. Houston hung it up a few years ago, retired, and started doing those things in life he wanted to do. Nothing wrong with that. Our Condolences to the family. Due to a last minute medical problem with Mother In Law was unable to attend.

Report of man in blue car just jumped another, last scene on Bateman. TPD Officers to snake in house on S. 10th……Believe I'd prefer a canary! Loose cattle, FCR- 751, owner to go check. THDEMS and Teague VFD to FCR-712, possible seizure. THDEMS to FM-80, man passing out. Leon County S.O. advised of phone report robbery possibly taking place in Oakwood. Teague VFD to report of electric line down near Teague elementary.

DPS Sandifer to accident, mile 181. FPD Tiner to disturbance between three men at Aztec Trailer Park, one arrested on Angelina County Probation Warrant, another for aggravated assault. Call comes in from Teague , skinny man trying to pull screen off window, left running, TPD Cordova to same. 3 ft. long snake in transformer behind Subway, Teague, OnCor summoned.

Another call from Oakwood on West Main, 1:30 in morning, reports young man at opened window trying to awaken two teenage girls, left afoot, high-gear, when spotted, Leon Co. S.O. advised. Deputies to FCR-1220, Lady says Ex came over starting problems.

To Ft. Worth for Annual Training with the Sheriff's Association of Texas. Excellent training each and every year and been doing it since a few years following the Civil War. For those of you who are Associate Members of S.A.T, this training is what your membership dues pay for…..And Many Thanks for your participation. Unfortunately, there are many scams around today, asking for money for the children of Fallen Officers, other types of "benevolences." S.A.T is not involved in any of this sort of thing. They have about a dozen employees total, including two full-time attorneys on staff to answer legal questions and conduct very professional Training Classes all over this State. That is S.A.T.'s main thrust….Training. No whine stories on the side, no telephone solicitations for membership drives, no third party collection company getting a percentage of the dues collected.

In conjunction with the preceding, Darnelle and I slipped off for a two day visit with relatives on the Red River. A most pleasurable visit, I might add. My Aunt, Charlene, for dinner one day, started out with a 5 gallon bucket of Okra picked from the garden that mornof ing. Cut and threw in equal parts of yellow squash, onions and potatoes, dredged it in corn meal then put it all in a cast iron black skillet. I watched her like a hawk! I wanted to know and remember how to do it as my Mother used to do the same thing. I just about foundered myself. M'mmm Good! All of it, right out of the garden.

TPD Travis Martin arrests man on parking lot at Dap's, multiple Warrants on file. Also to 5th on report of possible house burglary. Deputy House to FCR-743, someone keeps knocking on door then running off. Tommy Lynch advises of loose cow, Old 75. TPD Martin and Deputy McGowan as backup to report of open door on S. 10th. Man calls from Church Street, advises being assaulted by two others with pipe and extension cord, FPD Kindon, Deputies Anderson, McGowan and House as well as DPS Sandifer to same.

FEMS to Boyd Unit, Inmate with chest pains. FPD Gasaway arrests motorist on Commerce, City Traffic Warrants out of Fairfield, to Jail. Deputy Howerton to Mother/Son Troubles, FCR-241. Deputy house advised of irate husband feared headed to local lady's residence to raise a fuss. WPD Essary arrests female motorist on Possession of Meth and Probation Warrant, N. 3rd.

Long-standing Murder Trial brought to end on Friday. Defendant Doster sentenced to Life for brutal Oakwood area murder in 2005. This is the one who escaped from the same Jail in Alabama twice, and committed murder each time that he escaped. Already under a Death Sentence in Alabama for his first escape and murder. In that State he can't be put to death until his Appeals are all exhausted. The other Defendant in the case, Harnage, to be sentenced within just a few more hours of this writing. Can't say that any of us will be saddened to see these two returned back to Alabama. This trial has taxed our employees very heavily. Many 16 hour days. My thanks to every member of the Sheriff's Office for their individual efforts…..They each did a most superlative job!

Streetman VFD called to vehicle fire just off Old 75, on FCR-1100. Turned out one trailer, one old SUV, one 4-Wheeler and one riding lawnmower, had been carried to the location on FCR- 1100. The thieves set fire to the old SUV with attached trailer and left. Registered owner of vehicle contacted, goes to his place on FM-488, finds that he has been burglarized. The stuff set afire on FCR-1100 all his. They tried to burn two pieces, abandoned them, but did abscond with the mower and 4-Wheeler. Deputy House deals with Child Custody issue.

Deputies assist with Assault /Family Violence case at ER while FPD tied up on funeral. FEMS to FM- 2570, man overheated at mine area. Loose cow, FCR- 601. Dep. Shaw to loud music, FCR-550, 1:30 in morning, they turned it down. TPD Cordova jails man from residence, warrant out of Lacy Lakeview. Deputy Thomas Hendrix arrests man on Warrant for Livestock Theft. Deputy Travis Robertson to FCR- 1070 on report of trash dumped in creek. More loud music, FCR-1220.

THDEMS to US-84, Lady pregnant, abdominal pains. TPD Reed to complaint of BMW doing donuts in parking lot, Teague Motel. Also to 8th Street on report of son running away, but he showed back up. FPD advised of loose horses, Oak Street and FM-488. Mister Elom assists motorist, threw a rod. Loose bulls, FCR-610 at FCR-601. Southern Oaks and Cayuga VFD's to US-287 at Trinity River, bad smell in the area.

Fairfield PD to Nursing Home on report Lady employee attacked by a visitor. Deputies Aultman and Buzzard to problem over who gets the kid. THDEMS to Us-84, older Lady fell, banged up bad, to Parkview. Call from Love street in Oakwood says just robbed by brother, took all his money and left, transferred to Leon Co. S.O. THDEMS to possible seizure, US-84 at apartments.

FEMS to Oak Street, slurred speech, bad headache. Oilfield trucker calls, large fire FM-1451, large number of hay rolls involved, Dew and Teague VFD's both to same. Call from FM-27 advises headed to hospital, 5 year old son just stung by bees 20-30 times. Mr. Elom to FCR-971, land owner fired a fence builder, paid him off, now relative is making threats.

DPS Jones to accident, South FM-80, hit a tree. TPD Reed to China street, someone just crawled over a fence into Lady's yard. THDEMS to Webb, checking on man with bee stings. THDEMS to Mulberry, man fell, just got out of hospital.

Professional Lady calls, very upset due to horse and dog on US-79 between Buffalo and Jewett. Gonna cause a big number of wrecks. When explained that call would be transferred to correct County she went up another notch in anger. Instant service Ma'am, with all due respect, we cannot give…..The Officers must get there, to that location, from elsewhere, and that takes time, and we from our County can't just run off out of County to assist. It can be more quickly and efficiently handled by the Officers of that County as opposed to our guys crossing a County Line to respond. And I am certain that the call was responded to in an efficient and competent manner by the Leon County Deputies upon arrival.

Fairfield VFD to South Hall Street, TV set on fire. THDEMS to Mimosa Lane, low blood pressure. TPD Cox to Teague Motel, man complains just had oil changed in car…..but they forgot to put the oil back in after draining the old out! Deputy Harrison to call from old friend fearing water being stolen out of his tank.

Getting dry once again. Believe we have all gotten spoiled by the plentiful water that we've received lately. We asked the Good Lord in Church this morning for another round. Sure hope he's willing!

Until Next Week . . . RALPH BILLINGS