NEWS
Child predator wanted in California captured follow FLOCK alert
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
The Flock Safety System, being used on a 90-day trial by the Montague County Sheriff’s office, alerted officers to a stolen vehicle out of California, but it lead to the arrest of a wanted child sexual abuse suspect.
Last month Sheriff Marshall Thomas asked the commissioner’s court for approval to test out the system that accesses a database of cameras across the country that monitor traffic. During this trial the SO can access the cameras around Wichita County, used by those departments.
On May 28, Deputy Daniel Carter saw an alert for a stolen vehicle from California that was seen on U.S. Highway 287 and Farm-to-Market Road 369 in Wichita County and later on Fisher Road. Carter monitored the alerts and went to Hwy. 287 to watch for the possibly stolen vehicle.
Thomas explained Carter followed up with the California jurisdiction where the car was reported stolen, but then found Garnald Emarson Nickings, 59, Patterson, CA, had multiple warrants for sexual abuse of a child.
It appeared the warrants had not yet been entered into the national database. Carter also got a description of the man.
During his patrol Carter saw the suspect vehicle and saw it stop at Sunset Gas and Grill. The deputy called for backup with Investigator Ryan Blackburn arriving.
Nickings was arrested on the following warrants: Aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault of a victim under the age of 14, sexual abuse of a child continual sexual abuse, aggravated sexual assault of a child 10 years or older and aggravated sexual assault of child 10 years or younger.
Bonds totaled $500,000 and he remains in the county jail awaiting pick-up by California authorities.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
A major crash on East Wise in front of the Second Monday parking on July 11 shut down traffic for several hours in the morning and sent two people to the Bowie emergency room.
The accident occurred at 9:53 a.m. Thursday at 1616 E. Wise involving a large sign installation truck and an SUV.
Briana Rollison, Bowie, was driving a 2001 Ford Expedition east in the 1600 block of E. Wise and the large truck from Turner Signs System of Richland Hills was traveling west on East Wise driven by Joshua Thompson.
The preliminary accident report states Thompson lost control of the vehicle crossing the double yellow line striking the SUV in front of the Parker Properties and Farm Services Building. The SUV was knocked into the ditch and later made it back on the roadway.
The truck rolled on the passenger side and slid about 50-100 feet west of the incident location. Skid marks from the truck were observed to start approximately 300-350 feet east of the crash location.
See the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Bowie City Councilors this week got their first look at the 2024-25 proposed budget seeing a balanced plan with a total operational budget of $23,296,885 in expenses, which is a little more than $1.4 million above the previous year’s budget.
Mayor Gaylynn Burris said Monday night the budget looks “eerily familiar” to last year, despite adding a few equipment purchases. City Manager Bert Cunningham said he had already slashed more than $300,000 from the department requests in order to get a balanced budget.
The utility fund is balanced with expenses of $12,595,995 and revenues projected at $12,601,000. In the general fund revenues are projected at $10,705,568 with expenses at $10,700,890. Total budget expenses are $23,296,885 and overall revenue projected at $23,306,568. Cunningham said it leaves a small margin to set forth a balanced budget.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
Top photo: New chip and seal was laid on Elba and Lamb this week repairing well-worn roads near the Nelson/Mill drainage project. (Photo by Barbara Green)
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Few additional details have been released in connection with the Tuesday theft arrest of 97th District Attorney Casey Hall, and in a statement to the media the DA called the allegations “unfounded.”
The Montague County Grand Jury issued an indictment for Hall following the presentation of evidence in the case Monday by Assistant Attorney General Matthew Shawhan. The indictment is the result of an investigation initiated by county officials.
The indictment is for theft of property $2,500-$30,000 in value. Sheriff Marshall Thomas served the arrest warrant Tuesday afternoon. Justice of the Peace Two Jack Pigg arraigned Hall at the jail after her arrest at 2:33 p.m. She was released on $5,000 bond, which was set by retired District Judge Jack McGaughey on Monday.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
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