Author Archives: Mary Jane Farmer

About Mary Jane Farmer

In the music production business, including event production, booking, photography, reporting, volunteering, and other such essentials, since 1974.

November 2022 Arrests/Indictments

Leave a reply

By Mary Jane Farmer for the Van Alstyne News, Scene In Town

Van Alstyne Police stopped a vehicle Thursday (Dec. 1) for speeding on U.S. Highway 75, and in so doing, also removed 40 pounds of marijuana from circulation.

VAPD Lt. Steven Hayslip said that police were patrolling on US 75 when they clocked a southbound vehicle speeding at more than 100 mph. When the officers activated their overhead lights and sirens and got behind the vehicle. Hayslip said the driver gave them no problems.

They approached the vehicle and, Hayslip said, the officers smelled the distinctive and very strong odor of marijuana coming from inside the car. That gave them probable cause for a search. The marijuana, Hayslip added, was in the vehicle’s back seat, in multiple bags. They did a complete inventory-type search before having the car towed away and found nothing else.

The driver was headed from Oklahoma to the Houston area of Texas.

The suspect is a man from Humble, Texas, and was jailed on the third-degree felony charge of possession of marijuana between 5-50 pounds. A jail magistrate set bail at $10,000, payable in surety bonds. As of Friday afternoon, the suspect remained in Grayson County Jail.

Arrests Since November 1, police have also jailed numerous people on various charges. These include 10 for first-time Driving While Intoxicated; 8 more for DWI with an open container; 8 on charges of DWI 2nd offense; 6 for DWI – 3rd time to be charged.

Other charges — some included with these DWIs and others not — were 2 people charged with driving while their license is suspended; 1 person for assault causing bodily injury; 1 for theft for item(s) valued at between $2,500-$30,000 and several for possession of marijuana or controlled substances.

These various suspects were from Val Alstyne, the nearby cities of Howe, Anna, Melissa, and Sherman; and others from Oklahoma, Wylie, Gordonville, Denison, Celina, Whitesboro, Aubrey, Garland and San Felipe, Texas. The farthest suspect incarcerated was from Florida.

Indictments — The Grayson County Grand Jury met this week and returned many indictments for felony offenses. However, none of those reported were designated as being from Van Alstyne.

 

Christmas time is coming, and the city is getting itself ready1

Leave a reply

The bass of the Christmas tree in Dorothy Fielder Park, set over the park’s water fountain.

Story and photos by Mary Jane Farmer for The Van Alstyne News, Scene In Town

Van Alstyne is Christmas Town

Christmas is around the corner. It’s only 4+ weeks until Dec. 3, when the city will be lighting up its newest Christmas tree, accompanied by festivities in celebration of the season.

This week, the Van Alstyne Parks crew installed a Christmas tree over the fountain in downtown’s Dorothy Fielder Park. They have also wrapped the park’s trees in Panther blue Christmas lights, planted wintertime flowers in the park’s border, and added greenery and lights on the gazebo. But this project isn’t 100% completed. The entire Christmas project around town is coordinated to be completed at about the same time.

First, getting all the electricity in working order.

The city’s Public Works Department is now the Parks & Public Works Department, with Will Grissom heading the Parks’ responsibilities and Justin Johnson over Public Works. And while both crews are always willing to help each other out with manpower, both crews also have their own separate and necessary projects.

City Manager Lane Jones said, “(It’s a) Big job, and we have few people to get the job accomplished.” He added, “The job of decorating the city for the holidays is a sizable task requiring time to accomplish. The dedicated staff of the P&PW has taken on the task, but with limited time available given the demands of daily duties. To get the job done, the process has gotten underway early.

0

And n0w for the top of the tree. Notice the ornaments still in place from last year.

“Thousands of lights, two large trees and many ornaments will be up and ready for the tree lighting event planned for December 3rd.  Until then, Santa’s Elves (Parks and Public Works staff) will be busy making ready,” Jones said.

Chief Elf Grissom said that many of the other places to be decorated include the Fire Station, Police Station, Public Library, and the city welcome sign at the Valero gas station at U.S. Hwy 75 and Van Alstyne Parkway. They will also be decorating the downtown corners, wrapping and  adding Christmas banners to downtown poles. Much of that will also happen in the Central Social District Park

It is the second year that Parks has installed the man-made Christmas tree at the downtown park, and this year served as a reminder for those who had the opportunity last year of just now tedious it can be. For those new to the Parks crew, it was practice.

Getting the star ready to add next.

Star is up and for hanging the remainder of the branches

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guys at Dorothy Fielder Park said that the lights are in the branches, so that job is completed. Next — the ornaments. Wednesday, the crew had put up all they had, but said they would have more soon to fill in the empty spots.

The tree going up at the Central Social District Park (215 E Van Alstyne Parkway is twice the size of the one now gracing Dorothy Fielder Park,  said. And that’s the one where all the Tree-Lighting festivities will be going on Saturday, Dec. 3. These not only include the ubiquitous and infamous countdown, but also horse and carriage rides, a specialty food truck, carolers, and more. It all starts at 6 pm.

And while you readers are marking the Christmas Tree Lighting on your calendars, remember to mark the next Saturday, Dec. 10, down for the Christmas Parade. It will be taking a new route this year, and, since step-off is at 6:30 pm, aka dark-30, one can just imagine the glowing lights on many floats.

Stay tuned, Christmas fans. More about both the Tree Lighting and the Parade later. And one way to help stay up-to-date will be to ‘like’ and monitor the Facebook page Van Alstyne City Municipal Events.

Almost all done.

 

 

Indictments and Arrest as of Oct. 31

Leave a reply

NOTE: An indictment is a formal charge and not an indication of guilt. The Van Alstyne News does not include suspects’ names until or unless they are indicted

By Mary Jane Farmer for the Van Alstyne News

Ivan Benway

Indictments

The Grayson County Grand Jury recently indicted two area people, one from Van Alstyne and the other from Howe.

According to the GC District Attorney’s office, the Grand Jury indicted Ivan Joseph Benway, age 48, on a charge of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon. Van Alstyne Police Lt. Steven Hayslip reported the incident happened on July 12, 2021, and the indictment stemmed from an automobile accident that happened that day and the suspect is accused of intentionally causing the crash in a reckless manner. Grayson County Jail records show this suspect was jailed by the Grayson County District Attorney’s Office on a warrant and that he posted $15,000 bail in surety bonds the day after his incarceration.

Also indicted was Abraham Tellez, age 32, of Howe and this was for the offense of Evading Arrest/Detention with a Vehicle. Van Alstyne police reported that about 7 p.m. on Aug. 14, police were sent to northbound U.S. Highway 75 because of a reckless driver.

Police located the vehicle and witnessed the vehicle being driven erratically, almost striking several other vehicles, Hayslip said. They initiated a traffic stop with emergency lights turned on the patrol car, but the driver did not pull over. The vehicle sped up to speeds reaching 100 mph, but then left the highway at the Haning Street exit. The driver, Abraham Tellez, was taken into custody and jailed for the offense and also on a charge of Driving While Intoxicated. He posted a total of $11,500 bail in surety bonds they next day for his release.

Arrest — October 26, about 9:30 p.m., Van Alstyne Police arrested a suspect on a charge of burglary of vehicles.

Hayslip said police were called to a home in the 200 block of Paris street because of a burglary in progress. They found the suspect on the scene and arrested him on the felony charge.

The suspect posted bail of $1,500 in surety bonds on the 27th of October, according to Grayson County Jail records.

All other arrests during this time frame were for Driving While Intoxicated. Some of these arrests were enhanced because the suspect(s) had children in the car under the age of 15, had open containers of alcohol with them while driving, and, in one case, it was the third or more time the driver had been charged with DWI.

 

Police Blotter Oct. 1-21, 2022

Leave a reply

By Mary Jane Farmer for the Van Alstyne News, Scene in Town.

NOTE:  Names are not included until/unless a suspect is indicted.

Since October’s onset, Van Alstyne Police have jailed numerous people, including people from Sherman, Savoy, and Mesquite jailed on felony charges.

October 17 — Police Lt. Steven Hayslip reported that police a vehicle going north on U.S. Hwy 75 at FM 121 because of moving violations. When the officers approached the vehicle, they smelled the distinct odor or marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. With that as probable cause to search the vehicle, police conducted a full search of it and of the three adult occupants.

Hayslip said the search uncovered 60 grams of Methamphetamine, more than one gram of Fentanyl, and about five grams of Marijuana. They also found a fully-automatic Glock pistol.

The two other men both said they had Marijuana on them, so police placed all three of them under arrest.

There was a one-year-old baby in the car, also. Police turned the baby over to Child Protective Services, who, in turn, turned him/her over to his/her mother in Sherman.

Jailed was a Mesquite man on charges of Manufacture/Delivery of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 (Meth), Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, Possession of Controlled substance over 1 gram (Fentanyl), Possession of Marijuana between 5-50 Pounds, and Abandoning/Endangering a Child with Intent/Criminal Negligence, with a total set at $85,000, and he remains incarcerated. The two Sherman men with him received charges of Possession of Marijuana less than two ounces, and both bailed out on Surety Bonds of $1,500 the following day.

October 12 — Police were called by a driver who reported a reckless driver on U.S. 75. The reporting caller described the errant vehicle and said it had a hard time maintaining lanes. Hayslip said police located the car and they, too, saw it weaving back and forth. They initiated a traffic stop. While talking with the officers, Hayslip said, the female driver, admitted to them that she had Heroine in her purse. Police searched it and found loaded syringes. They also found a small amount of Fentanyl in the purse, also.

Police jailed the suspect, a Savoy resident, on charges of Manufacture/Delivery of a Controlled Substance Over 4 Gram -PG 1 and of Possession of Controlled Substance less than 1 Gram, both felony charges.

Bail was set at the jail at a total of $13,500, which she posted the following day in surety bonds for her release.

Theft of Property — On Oct. 12, police investigated the theft of a catalytic converter. Hayslip said this was taken from a residence in the 600 block of Williams Way.

Anyone with information that could help in the investigation and return of the stolen item to its rightful owner is urged to call the Police Station at 903-482-5251. The dispatcher can connect the caller with the right officer.

Other arrests — Police arrested numerous others, mostly the results of traffic stops, since October 1, including:

  • Denison man on a Grayson County warrant charging him with Tamper/Fabricate with Physical Evidence with Intent to Impair;
  • Sherman man on Grayson County warrants charging him with Failure to Appear on previous DWI and Assault causing Injury;
  • Van Alstyne man on a Grayson County warrant charging him with Theft of Property between $100-$750;
  • Van Alstyne man on a charge of Driving While Intoxicated;
  • Sherman man on a Collin County warrant charging him with Graffiti causing Pecuniary Loss between $100-$750.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two Men Arrested for 2019 Murder of Howe Man

Leave a reply

By Mary Jane Farmer with help from a press release from Grayson County District Attorney’s Office.

Hussein Mahmoud Azab

Hussein Mahmoud Azab

Grayson County District Attorney Brett Smith held a press conference early Monday morning to announce that two Denton County men are in the Grayson County Jail for their roles in the 2019 murder of Howe’s Cory Lee Wain Petty, age 19 at the time of his passing.

According to previous media reports from KTEN, KXII, and the Herald Democrat, police got a call about a burglary in progress early that Tuesday, Aug. 27, but when they arrived they found Mr. Petty  lying inside his home in the 700 block of North Collins Freeway. He had been assaulted, media reported, saying he had been badly beaten. No suspects were located.

An ambulance transported Mr. Petty to a nearby hospital. He reportedly passed away the following Saturday.

The investigation has continued during the passing years. Howe Police, with the assistance of the Texas Rangers, brought it to a conclusion and obtained sealed indictments against both suspects.

Kenny Nana Nietcho

This past weekend, they, with the help of The Colony PD, arrested 23-year-old Hussein Mahmoud Azab, in The Colony, and Kenny Nana Nietcho, 26, in Frisco. These arrests came less than 48 hours after law enforcement obtained the sealed indictments, Smith said.

Azab was indicted and jailed on three charges: Murder, Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Robbery, and Conspiracy to Commit Burglary of a Habitation. His bail is set at a total of $2,500,000, payable in surety bonds. He remains in Grayson County Jail.

Nietcho was indicted for Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Robbery and Conspiracy to Commit Burglary of a Habitation. Since his incarceration, two other warrants, issued in Collin County, have also been served on this suspect. Those are for Evading Arrest of Detention with a Previous Conviction and Failure to Identify as a Fugitive from Justice by refusing to give (proper) identity. Bail on the two Grayson County charges total $1,500,000 and at the time of this writing, no bail had been set on the two Collin County charges. He, also, remains incarcerated. UPDATE: Bail has been set for the two Collin County charges at a total of $6,000.

Mr. Petty’s obituary defines him as a son, a grandson, a great-grandson, a brother, and a father. Neighbors reportedly said he was a very caring and loving man.

Smith stated, “These arrests and indictments are the culmination of a three-year investigation. We commend the hard work of the Howe Police Department and the Texas Rangers for helping to secure the indictments and for promptly arresting these suspects.”