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Wilson County News 30 1984 2014
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Texas Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol troopers Anthony Flores (left) and Joey Lerma conduct their investigation of a multi-vehicle crash March 26 on S.H. 97 that ended in one fatality.
Crash kills former officer, councilman By William J. Gibbs Jr. Wilson County News
bly. He will be missed, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Miller family.” The community continues to Miller had just left from a mourn in the aftermath of the FELPS board meeting in Flodeath of 68-year-old Roger resville when the crash occurred Miller of La Vernia, who was at approximately pronounced dead 8:45 a.m. Accordat the scene March ing to Trooper 26, following Anthony Flores, a a multi-vehicle spokesman for the crash on S.H. 97 Texas Department outside Floresof Public Safety ville. Highway Patrol, Miller, a retired Robert Lazcano, San Antonio Po67, of Sutherland lice Department Springs was drivofficer, also previing a Chevrolet ously worked as a Silverado 1500 sergeant with the pickup truck west Roger Miller La Vernia Police on S.H. 97 when Department. He then served as he attempted to avoid striking a a city councilman in La Vernia stray dog that was in the roadbefore being appointed as an ad- way. visory member to the Floresville A westbound Peterbilt semi Electric Light & Power System tractor, driven by 45-year-old (FELPS) board of trustees. See James Kemp of Caldwell, which obituary, page 11A. was towing an empty flatbed FELPS General Manager trailer, was behind Lazcano’s veKyle Dicke expressed sorrow hicle. The semi struck the rear of over Miller’s passing. He said the pickup truck, sending it into WILLIAM J. GIBBS JR./Reprints at wilsoncountynews.com Deputy Travis Beck of the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office (l-r) aids Tex- in a statement, “Mr. Miller had the path of Miller’s eastbound as Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol troopers Harold Estep, a great impact on the board of Honda Ridgeline, with which Michael Baumann, and Joey Lerma March 26 in their investigation of trustees, and he represented the it collided almost head-on. A city of La Vernia quite admira- fourth vehicle, a Chevrolet Sila multi-vehicle crash on S.H. 97.
verado 3500 flatbed truck, being driven by 32-year-old Miguel Ramirez of Devine, grazed the rear of Miller’s vehicle. Freddy Ortiz and Daniel Gonzales were part of a construction crew at a nearby property when the incident occurred. Both men reported seeing the dog moments before and expressing concern that it would cause a crash. Gonzales said Miller’s truck briefly caught fire after the crash and that he and Ortiz rushed over with a fire extinguisher to put out the blaze. Lazcano was flown via a Methodist AirCare helicopter to University Hospital, where a hospital spokesman said he was listed in stable condition. There were no other reported injuries. Officials closed the roadway until just after 1 p.m. as troopers conducted a crash recreation as part of their investigation. In addition to numerous DPS troopers, members of the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office, the Floresville Volunteer Fire Department, Wilson County precincts 1 and 2 commissioners, and three units from the Wilson County Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene.
TxDOT drops speed By William J. Gibbs Jr. Wilson County News
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Slow down! The speed limit on an approximately 9-mile stretch of U.S. 181 between the Floresville city limit and the Bexar-Wilson county line in Elmendorf now is 65 mph. Shortly after the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) extended the 55 mph speed zone on U.S. 181 at the northern edge of the Floresville city limit in January, several Wilson County News readers contacted the newspaper about the posted speeds north of the city.
Until then, the speed limit from north of Floresville to the county line was 70 mph. That speed was reduced to 65 mph. But unlike stretches of state roadways that are within the borders of an incorporated city, such as Floresville, speed zone changes on stretches in the unincorporated county do not require approval from the Wilson County Commissioners Court, said TxDOT spokesman Laura Lopez. The change has caught motorists by surprise. It also came as a shock to the area’s Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) See TxDOT, 6A
Patty Vaughan investigation continues By William J. Gibbs Jr. Wilson County News
ADKINS — An all-day dig March 24 at the former residence of a woman missing since 1996 has not turned up any additional clues into her disappearance, officials said. However, the investigation into what might have become of Patty Inez Brightwell Vaughan is not over. Assistant District Attorney Audrey Louis of the 81st Judicial District said that the district attorney’s office financed the cost of the dig. This was after Vaughan’s mother, Patsy
Wallace, said in Texas Rangers, an August 2013 sheriff’s offices interview with in Bexar and the Wilson CounWilson county News that ofties, and an evificials never condence recovery ducted a dig at team from the the site. This was Federal Bureau despite neighbors of Investigation reporting that converged on the Patty’s husband, Patty Vaughan Vaughans’ forJerry Ray “J.R.” mer residence on Vaughan, was operating a Oak Park Road in Adkins backhoe at the site in the March 24. Heavy equippredawn hours of Dec. 26, ment was used to excavate 1996 — the same day Patty trash pits and other locawas reported missing. tions at the site. Louis said “At this time, no re- further investigation on mains have been found,” the property was planned Louis said March 24. for March 26, but it was Investigators from the called off, due to inclement Look Inside
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weather. She was unable to specify the nature of what officials would do when they returned. The case has been open for much of Joe D. Tackitt Jr.’s 22-year tenure as the Wilson County sheriff. Tackitt, who was present at the Vaughans’ former residence for much of the dig, said it was important to be able to rule out the possibility that Patty was buried there. “I can understand it must be hard for her family, not knowing where she is and not knowing what happened,” Tackitt said. Wallace could not be
Obituaries, 11A
Vonnie Marie Allen Jimmy Escamilla Garcia Stanley H. Anthony Marguerite Lily Savoy Hunter Lydia Dominguez Barrera Doug Lott Todd Russell Burnett Roger L. Miller Thelma Wehman Ehlers Juanita Mungia Muñoz Omar Glenn Williams
reached for comment prior to press time March 31. Her sister, Barb Kiolbasa, said the areas that were excavated included those that family members suggested after taking aerial photos of the property in early 1997. These locations, she said, were those that appeared to be newly disturbed. Kiolbasa and her other family members continue to hold out hope that they might find Patty. While she believes that those assigned to the case are handling the investigation to the best of their ability, she would rather see the Texas See Vaughan, 6A Vol. 41 No. 14
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Wilson County News 30 1984 2014
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Overturned truck puts city in gridlock
WILLIAM J. GIBBS JR.
Volunteer firefighters and emergency medical technicians free the driver of an overturned tractor-trailer Oct. 15 following a crash that occurred on U.S. 181 near its intersection with S.H. 97 East in Floresville. By William J. Gibbs Jr. Wilson County News
Crash kills pedestrian
FLORESVILLE — A truck driver is recovering from his injuries, following an accident in which his rig overturned Oct. 15. The incident tied up traffic throughout Floresville for more than 12 hours and elicited a response from numerous agencies. According to Patrolman Eric Hutchinson of the Floresville Police Department, 44-year-old Shawn Marshall
By Gregory Ripps Wilson County News
SUTHERLAND SPRINGS — A man attempting to walk across U.S. 87 lost his life the night of Oct. 18 after being struck by a northbound truck near the SS Express convenience store. Dennis Ray Allen, 49, of Sutherland Springs was pronounced dead on the scene, according to Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Sgt. Lynn Floyd. Floyd said Allen appar-
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ently failed to yield to an oncoming white 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 truck, driven by Samuel Holguin, 45, of Hebbronville. Floyd said that Holguin said he didn’t see Allen because of the darkness. The accident happened about 8:24 p.m. Holguin faced no charges after the accident, Floyd said. Wilson County Sheriff’s Office units and La Vernia Emergency Medical Services responded to the accident, in addition to DPS.
wilsoncountynews.com of San Antonio was the driver of the semi-tractor owned by QC Energy Resources that was towing a tanker hauling light crude oil. Marshall is suspected of driving too fast, Hutchinson said, when he attempted to make a right turn from Standish Street (S.H. 97 East) onto northbound U.S. 181 in Floresville at approxi-
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As a result of an overturned tanker truck blocking the northbound lanes of U.S. 181 near its intersection with S.H. 97 West, traffic on U.S. 181 backs up Oct. 15 to south of the highway’s intersection with D Street — a distance of approximately 1 mile. mately 3:15 p.m. This caused the trailer’s load to shift, which subsequently caused the tractor-trailer to overturn and block both northbound lanes of the highway. Marshall was trapped in the cab of the semi-tractor. Members of the Wilson County Emergency Medical Services and the Floresville Volunteer Fire Department had to break the truck’s windshield and cut its steering wheel to free him. Medics then transported Marshall to the Connally Memorial Medical Center in Floresville, where a spokesman said he was treated and transferred to the San Antonio Military Medical Center, from which he was treated and released Oct. 17. Traffic on U.S. 181, S.H. 97, and U.S. 181 Business was snarled as motorists attempted to navigate through the city. Floresville High School buses also were delayed in picking up students and taking them home. The resulting traffic jam sent many motorists looking for ways to avoid the intersection, which led to heavy vehicular volume on U.S. 181 Business. This likely contributed to a crash on that road-
way at 5:17 p.m. According to Floresville police Sgt. Devin Keen’s report, 26-year-old Carmen Vasquez was stopped on U.S. 181 Business in a Chevrolet sedan, waiting to make a left turn onto Peach Street. A northbound Chevrolet pickup truck driven by 36-year-old Jason Scheel of La Vernia struck the rear of Vasquez’s vehicle, injuring her 8-year-old daughter. The girl was transported to the Connally Memorial Medical Center in Floresville. Police said that normal traffic flow at the intersection of U.S. 181 and S.H. 97 East was not restored until 3:30 a.m. Oct. 16, after a hazardous materials team from the Bexar County Office of Emergency Management punctured the massive tanker to help empty its cargo — under the supervision of a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality representative. Two wreckers were used to right the tank. Hutchinson said Marshall was charged with unsafe speed and could be cited, due to the potential environmental danger posed by the incident. [email protected]
GARY DARNELL/Contributor
Law-enforcement and emergency medical services personnel work the scene Oct. 18 of an accident in which a vehicle struck and killed a pedestrian on U.S. 87 near the SS Express convenience store in Sutherland Springs.
Sheriff offers insight on border-related issues
Karnes County has its Villanueva said the ocown perspective on the cupants of a single van subject of undocumented typically include undocuimmigration. mented immigrants from The story is familiar: a number of countries. A van leads law enforce- By Gregory Ripps He explains that they say ment on a chase, crashes Wilson County News they are from Honduras, through a fence, and Guatemala, or another stops in a field. Its occuCentral American counpants “bail out” and scatter, and all try just as often as they say they are of them may or may not get away. from Mexico. The last time this happened in Wilson See Karnes illegals, 4A County was November 2013. But the last time it happened ICE launches in Karnes County was July of new website this year, according to Sheriff U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Dwayne Villanueva. He added (ICE) announced Oct. 16 it had launched a that this was the second such redesigned official website – ICE.gov. The redesigned site features a “What We incident this year. Do” section, separated into three categories: The sheriffs of both counPreventing Terrorism, Investigating Illegal ties said the number of “bailMovement of People and Goods, and Immigraouts” has shrunk over the past tion Enforcement. ICE, created in 2003 through a merger of year, but Villanueva expects elements of the former U.S. Customs Service illegal human trafficking in and Immigration and Naturalization Service, Karnes County to pick up is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. again in the spring. Department of Homeland Security.
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Obituaries, 13A Joseph ‘Joe’ Adcock Troy ‘Bubba’ Calhoun Felipe ‘El Apa’ Guevara Jr. Pedro D. Gonzalez John Heil Ellen Howard
Donald Hoelscher Sharon Mauck Jynell B. Moyer Gerald F. Sanchez Alma Tanneberger Dora Witte Wyatt
Vol. 41 No. 43
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