Tyler County News

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By Chris Edwards
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ProulxHARDIN COUNTY – A crash involving two motorcyles and an intoxicated driver in Hardin County resulted in multiple fatalities last Friday night.

According to Sgt. Shana Clark with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), preliminary crash investigation reports indicate that at approximately 6:25 p.m., a Saturn Ion, driven by 50-year-old Brenon  James Proulx, of Silsbee, was traveling west along FM 327, near Silsbee, and veered into the oncoming lane, striking two motorcyles that were eastbound.

The motorcyles, both Harley Davidsons, were a 2005 and a 2015 vintage, and the driver of the 2005 bike, James Means, a 39-year-old Spurger resident, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Clark.

The other motorcyclist, 37-year-old Allen Wesenberg, of Warren, was taken to Christus St. Elizabeth’s in Beaumont for treatment of life-threatening injuries, where he later succumbed. Both motorcycle drivers had passengers, a 7-year-old boy and an 11-year-old girl. Both children were transported to a hospital for treatment of life-threatening injuries. Means’s passenger, later identified as his daughter Cicillia “CiCi” Means, died.

Proulx was taken into custody for intoxication manslaughter and given three counts of intoxication assault, all of which are felony offenses. He remains in the Hardin County Jail with bonds totaling $160,000.

Clark said the investigation into this wreck is ongoing and there is no additional information at this time.

In the wake of CiCi Means’s passing, Spurger ISD issued a statement about her, as she was a student at Spurger Junior High.

“As a district, we want to ensure that our students, teachers and staff will have access to the resources needed to navigate this emotional journey,” the statement read.

Spurger ISD will offer additional counseling services, as well as involve community youth pastors, who will be on campus to provide support for those needing it.

The district’s statement added that “it is moments like these that reveal the strength of our Pirate family.”

In addition to arrangements for the three victims through Riley Funeral Home of Woodville, there will be a celebration for them at Ray Ray’s Bar in Silsbee, scheduled for Friday, Feb. 9, from 6 p.m. until midnight, which will feature live music. The event has a $10 cover charge and all proceeds will go to Wesenberg’s family.

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Special to the Booster

AUSTIN — The Texas Department of Public Safety has created a violent offender database now available to the public.

This new database launched on Dec. 29, 2023, officially going live ahead of its required Jan. 1 deadline.

The new database was created by House Bill 5202 during the regular session of the 88th Texas Legislature. This bill required DPS to create and maintain a public centralized database of offenders who have committed certain violent offenses, including those involving family violence.

DPS provides access to the website free of charge.

The Violent Offender Database contains information regarding offenders who, on two or more occasions, have been convicted of assault, sexual assault, aggravated assault or aggravated sexual assault involving family violence. This also includes offenders who have been convicted of continuous violence against the family, stalking or any combination of such offenses.

The database includes the offender’s full name, date of birth, a recent photograph and a physical description, or as much information as possible. It also includes a list of applicable offenses, the date of conviction, punishment and outcomes for each offense.

The department worked with the Texas Council on Family Violence on both the website design and language to ensure the site was easy to use and contained valuable information for those searching the site. To access the Violent Offender Database, visit the DPS website.

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By Chris Edwards
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JEFFERSON COUNTY — A grand jury in Jefferson County indicted a Woodville man last week due to a series of threats made through social media, one of which stated an intention to bomb a courthouse, and another which involved Tyler County.

According to reports, the grand jury indicted Jonathan Mitchell Palmer, 29, on a third-degree felony charge of making a terroristic threat. Investigators, according to reports and a probable cause affidavit, received information about an individual making threatening posts via Twitter (now known as X).

Investigators with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Criminal Investigations Division (CID) followed up on the information received in November of last year about the threats and identified Palmer as the owner of the account from where the threatening posts emanated.

CID investigators contacted Palmer at a motel in Beaumont where he was reportedly staying at the time, and he denied making the threatening posts.

When Palmer turned over his mobile device to the investigators, they found three posts, one of which stated “Ima bomb that courthouse,” although no specific courthouse was named. Two other posts, worded similarly stated that both Tyler and Hardin counties would be bombed.

Palmer reportedly told the investigators, when questioned about the posts, that they were made due to “people aggravating him,” and investigators noted there were no specific locations or names associated with the latter two posts, other than the counties’ names, and there was no specific location given to the first post about bombing a courthouse.

Palmer told investigators that he knew the posts were inappropriate, and reportedly expressed willingness to remove them.

Booking information from a 2019 arrest in Tyler County lists Palmer as a Woodville resident. He was arrested then for violation of a bond/protective order, and the case, according to court records, was dismissed.

If convicted of the felony charge, Palmer could face from two to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

 

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By Chris Edwards
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SPURGER – Authorities are seeking the public’s help in locating a suspicious vehicle, following a pursuit last week.

According to Tyler County Sheriff Bryan Weatherford, a high-speed pursuit by law enforcement began in the Spurger area last Monday. Deputies who were on patrol received information about an attempt by two men, described as Hispanic descent, to steal a vehicle from a residence along FM 1013.

The deputies were advised that the homeowner confronted the two men, and they fled the area in a dark colored pickup truck, which Weatherford described as having “loud mud-grip tires.” A deputy spotted a truck matching the description, westbound on FM 1013.

When the deputy attempted to instigate a stop at the intersection of the farm-to-market road and US 69, the vehicle accelerated to a high rate of speed and refused to stop. The pursuit continued along 69, with speeds reaching between 100-110 MPH.

Weatherford said that as the pursuit neared the Woodville city limits, Woodville PD officers deployed tire spikes, just south of the city limits, in order to disable the suspect vehicle.

The vehicle, instead, made an abrupt right-hand turn onto Seneca Road, back toward FM 1013, at speeds reaching 80 MPH. The pursuit continued to an oil pump-site road, where the vehicle rammed through a gate and made an abrupt U-turn at the site and began heading toward the TCSO patrol vehicle in an aggressive manner, colliding with the unit.

Weatherford said the deputy continued to pursue the vehicle but observed the engine overheating due to damage the vehicle had sustained in the collision. In the midst of the pursuit, TCSO learned that the suspect vehicle had been reported stolen out of Bronson, in Sabine County.

Deputies with TCSO along with help from Woodville PD officers were ultimately unable to locate the vehicle, but Weatherford is encouraging anyone with information about the stolen vehicle to contact TCSO at 409-283-2172, or the East Texas Crime Stoppers, at 936-969-TIPS.

Crime Stoppers tipsters can also submit tips via the organization’s website, www.639TIPS.com, or through an app obtainable through the website. The Crime Stoppers process is entirely anonymous for tipsters, and anyone with information is eligible for a cash reward if the information given leads to an arrest.