Houston County News 2

Write a comment

By Chris Edwards
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

FORT WORTH – The Crockett Police Department announced last week that a wanted man was taken into custody in Fort Worth.

Tyrell Deshawn Beasley, a 31-year-old Crockett man, was taken into custody on Tuesday, Jan. 25. He was wanted since late December of last year on several charges by multiple agencies. He was taken into custody by the Fort Worth Police Department with the assistance of U.S. Marshals.

In addition to the numerous felony and misdemeanor warrants had had out for his arrest, Beasley was also charged with multiple felony drug offenses in Tarrant County, according to Crockett Chief of Police Clayton Smith.

The search for Beasley began in Crockett when Crockett police responded to an incident on the morning of Dec. 27. The officers were responding to an assault call, and the victim identified Beasley as the suspect.

Beasley has pending charges for unlawful possession of firearm by felon (a third-degree felony) and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon (second-degree felony) as a result of the incident in December.

Beasley was also wanted by other law enforcement agencies in the region for the following charges: Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by Felon; Deadly Conduct- Firing Weapon; Assault Family Member/ Impede Breath/Circulation; Injury to a Child; TDCJ Parole Warrant (Injury to a Child – two counts); Theft of Firearm; Possession of Marijuana and Unlawful Carrying of a Weapon. 

He remains in custody at the Tarrant County Corrections Center on three felony drug charges for manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance, with bonds totaling $40,000.

“We appreciate all assisting agencies and the numerous tips provided about his whereabouts,” Smith said.

Write a comment

By Chris Edwards
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

CROCKETT – Camp Street Café is kicking off its February schedule of shows with acclaimed singer/songwriter Andrew Duhon.

Duhon, a New Orleans native, has earned comparisons to such legends as John Prine and Jim Croce for his songwriting ability, while his vocal stylings have been likened to “a youthful Van Morrison,” according to a bio sketch.

Duhon will appear as part of the Andrew Duhon Trio on Friday, Feb. 4 at the legendary venue. The show begins at 8 p.m.

Duhon and his crew begin a short tour this Saturday, which begins in New Orleans and concludes in Mobile, AL., on Sunday, Feb. 6. Along with Camp Street, they are playing a few other legendary listening room-type venues, like the Saxon Pub in Austin and McGonigel’s Mucky Duck in Houston.

Duhon’s new single “Slow Down” is coming out on Friday to all streaming services. He has released four records, including the critically acclaimed The Moorings, from 2014, which was nominated for a Grammy Award.

A recent single “Comin’ Around” earned rave reviews from publications like the country music arm of Rolling Stone, which stated that Duhon’s “soulful croon takes centerstage.”

On his website, Duhon states that during the downtime caused by the pandemic, he has been “reasonably productive” with songwriting, and sharing songs through videos as part of a series he calls “Quarantine Songs.”

According to the Camp Street Café Facebook page, the venue has been trying to book Duhon for quite some time, and they are excited to host him.

Tickets to Duhon’s show are $27.50.

Other shows on the Camp Street agenda for February include regional favorite Country Willie Edwards, who will play on Saturday, Feb. 12 and Arkansas bluesman Chris Cameron, on Saturday, Feb. 26.

Write a comment

TaylorBy Chris Edwards

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 CROCKETT – A woman was arrested last week in Crockett, charged with attempting to purchase a child.

According to a probable cause affidavit, the charge given to 50-year-old Rebecca Lanette Taylor, stems from an incident that occurred on Thursday, Jan. 13 inside of Walmart.

 Taylor, who was arrested last Tuesday, allegedly approached a woman and her two children at the self-checkout section of the store.

 Taylor allegedly inquired to the woman as to how much she could purchase one of the children for and made comments about the child’s blonde hair and blue eyes. 

 According to the affidavit, one child was an infant in a car seat and the other a one-year-old boy.

 The child’s mother thought Taylor was joking, but she allegedly told her she had a quarter of a million dollars in her car and would pay that amount for the child.

 The mother told Taylor that she would take no amount of money for her son and told her to stay away from him.

 According to Crockett Police, the child’s mother stated that Taylor was with another woman, and that the women knew the child’s name, and began calling him by his name.

 The mother later encountered Taylor in the Walmart parking lot, who allegedly screamed at her; saying she would give her $500,000 for the child, according to the affidavit. 

 Eventually, Taylor left in a black SUV and left, and the mother left the area while notifying law enforcement.

 The surveillance footage from Walmart corroborated the mother’s account of the incident, and police officers were able to identify Taylor from the footage.

 Initially, after questioning her about the alleged incident at her residence in the 100 block of East Homewood, Taylor told the officer who wrote the affidavit that she does not like thieves and told the officer to speak to her attorney and “get off her precipice,” before slamming the door shut. 

 Police obtained an arrest warrant and arrested her. She has since bonded out of jail. The charge issued, which is sale or purchase of a child, is a third-degree felony. If convicted, Taylor could face a minimum sentence of two years behind bars and/or a fine of up to $10,000.

 Crockett Chief of Police Clayton Smith said that despite the rural setting of the City of Crockett, it is not exempt from such incidents. “We appreciate the mother coming forward to report this incident,” he said. 

 “Our citizens must remain vigilant to ensure they do not fall victim to incidents of such nature,” he added.

 Smith said that as incidents of such nature become increasingly common, nationwide, local law enforcement is committed to the safety of the community “and especially our children.”

1 Comment

By Jan White
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Senate Bill 5, sometimes known as the “Safe Outdoor Dogs” Act, was approved by Governor Greg Abbott in October 2021. The law was meant to reduce or prevent inhumane treatment of outdoor dogs.

While the bill’s main thrust is to outlaw the use of chains or weighted tethers for outdoor dogs, it also outlines other humane requirements:

• Owners must provide adequate, sturdy shelter from inclement weather, including rain, sleet, hail, snow, high winds, extreme cold, and extreme heat. The dimensions of the structure must be large enough for the dog to be able to stand erect, turn around, and lie down in a normal position. Owners must also provide an area so the dogs can avoid standing in water or excessive animal waste and must give them access to potable water. 

• Collars must be made of a band of material specifically designed to be placed around a dog’s neck and appropriately sized for the dog’s measurements and body weight. 

The collar must not impede the dog’s breathing or swallowing and must not cause any pain or injury. 

• Harnesses are defined as a set of straps constructed of nylon, leather, or similar material specifically designed to restrain or control a dog.

• An owner is not allowed to restrain a dog outside and unattended by a chain or a restraint with weights attached. 

• A tether or restraint cannot be shorter in length than the greater of : 

• A. five times the length of the dog, measured from the base of the dog’s tail to tip of its nose, or

B. ten feet. 

• The tether/restraint must be attached to a properly fitted collar. 

• The law permits trolley systems that allow dogs to move along a running line, but owners must follow the guidelines previously specified regarding shelter, sanitary conditions, water, collars, and the type and length of the restraint.

 The bill is also specific about exceptions. For example, temporary restraints used during training activities, shepherding or herding livestock, at public recreational areas, dogs unattended in an open-air truck for a brief period, and other specified outdoor tasks don’t necessarily fall under the stricter requirements. Check with local authorities if you have questions about the guidelines.

The new laws do not supersede any local regulations relating to a dog’s restraint. They don’t affect the adoption or enforcement of existing ordinances, so long as they are compatible with or more stringent than those laid out in SB 5’s new subchapters. And the new subsection does not prohibit a person from walking a dog with a handheld leash.

An offense of these regulations is a Class C Misdemeanor unless the person has previously been convicted, in which case it becomes a Class B Misdemeanor.

Enforcement of the laws created by SB5 will begin on January 18, 2022. 

For information on how these laws will affect your neighborhood, contact Perry Shaw, Animal Control Officer for the City of Crockett. (936) 544-2021, Option 2 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.