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.

Arrest, Vandalism, Indictment — Reports late Dec 2021

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Graffiti on the renovated railcar, discovered just after Christmas

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

Between Dec. 20-26, Van Alstyne police received 113 calls for service, which 10 resulted in police reports, seven in offense reports, one motor vehicle crash with no injuries, and one arrest. Van Alstyne PD Sgt. Steven Hayslip reported the following incidents.

Offense — Vandal(s) struck at McKinney Wilson Park between December 19-22, Hayslip said.

The morning of December 22, 2021, officers were sent to the park, located at 146 Ball Park Way on the east side of town, in regard to vandalism. They found that someone had ‘tagged’ playground equipment with graffiti. The park and the equipment in it are city-owned, and the Public Works Department, soon after the investigation was completed, cleaned the graffiti off.

This railcar in the downtown was recently violated with graffiti plastered on the green backdrop. Police are searching to find out who did this one and several others acts of similar vandalism around town.

Since that time, vandal(s) have added graffiti to the railcar at the corner of East Marshall and South Main Drive, also city property. Then, again, on December 30, police were called to another location near the downtown area because of graffiti. Details of these last two incidents have not been made available yet.

Anyone with information about any of these incidents, being described as “intentionally damage city (playground) equipment by tagging the equipment with graffiti,” is urged to contact Detective Ingram of the VAPD. Also, Hayslip said, “VAPD encourages anyone who observes anything out of the ordinary to report the circumstances to the police department.” That phone number is 903-482-5251.

Arrest — On Christmas Eve, at about 2 p.m., police were sent to the area of South Waco and Nevils Street in regard to a welfare concern, said Hayslip. Hayslip did not say what the caller was concerned about, but said the officers did locate the described person, an Allen man. While conducting their investigation, they found an outstanding warrant for the suspect’s arrest.

The warrant shows to have been for violation of a protective order.

Police jailed the suspect in Grayson County Jail because of the warrant. On December 27, the suspect was released to Collin County authorities.

Indictment — At the most recent convening of the Grayson County Grand Jury, jurors indicted one Van Alstyne female along with about four dozen other people, most of whom were from Grayson County.

Angela Michelle Fonseca, who shows to be from Van Alstyne on the indictment list, but from Howe on Grayson County Jail records, was indicted on a charge of theft of property valued between $2,500-$30,000. Information is that the incident happened in July 2020 and it was Grayson County Sheriff’s Office who made the November 2021 arrest.

An indictment is a formal charge and is not considered as evidence of guilt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Police Activities Nov. 22-28

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From reports provided by Van Alstyne Police

Van Alstyne Police Sgt. Steven Hayslip reported on the police department’s activities during the days between Nov. 22 and Nov. 28.

During this time, police received 111 calls for service resulting in seven police reports and four offense reports. Of those three were for motor vehicle crashes, one of which resulted in minor injuries for one occupant. None resulted in anyone being taken to jail.

Arrest —At about 4 p.m. on Nov. 22, officers made a traffic stop on U.S. Hwy. 75 south of Van Alstyne Parkway. The driver, a Van (Smith County) female, was discovered to be in possession of Xanax. Hayslip said that Xanax is listed in Penalty Group 3 of the Texas Health & Safety Code. Police took the suspect to Grayson County Jail on a charge of possession of controlled substance, PG3 less than 28 grams.

A magistrate set bail at $1,500, which the suspect paid with a surety bond and released two days later.

Arrest — On Nov. 23, about 9 a.m., a traffic stop on U.S. 75 resulted in another arrest. Hayslip said this one was, again, south of Van Alstyne Parkway. The driver, a man from Shreveport, LA, was discovered to be in possession of illegal drugs. Hayslip said they found both methamphetamine and marijuana in his possession. Police had the suspect incarcerated in Grayson County Jail.

Meth is listed in the Texas Health & Safety Code’s Penalty Group 1, resulting in a charge of possession of controlled substance, PG 1. Police also charged him with possession of marijuana less than 2 grams.

Bail on these charges totaled $2,000, which the suspect paid three days later with surety bonds.

Arrest — On Nov. 24, about 11:30 p.m., someone called police about a reckless driver. Hayslip said they located the vehicle and saw it in a traffic violation. They made a traffic stop. During the resulting investigation, they found the driver was driving while intoxicated and jailed him on a DWI charge. Since the arrest was made just before midnight, it was during the night of Nov. 25 when book-in was completed.

A magistrate set bail at $1,500, which the suspect paid in a surety bond on Nov. 25 for his release.

 

Police Activity, Nov. 15-21

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Mary Jane Farmer for the Van Alstyne News / Scene In Town, from information provided by Van Alstyne Police.

Van Alstyne Police Sgt. Steven Hayslip reported that between Nov. 15 and Nov. 21, police received 179 calls for services. These resulted in 10 police reports, five offense reports, one motor vehicle crash with no injuries, and two arrests. Names of those arrested will not be released until/unless they are indicted.

Nov. 17 arrest — About 4:35 p.m., officers were sent to an unnamed location because of a fight in progress. The caller told them two brothers were the ones involved. Upon arrival, Hayslip said, police officers broke the fight up. After that, they jailed one brother, a Van Alstyne resident, on a charge of assault causing bodily injury-family violence.

Grayson County Jail records show that the suspect served two days in jail before posting his bail of $2,500 in a surety bond and freed on Nov. 19.

Nov. 18 arrest — Officers were sent to a convenience store at U.S. Hwy 75 and West Van Alstyne Parkway because of customer causing a disturbance. They found the suspect, a Van Alstyne man, across the street at another service station. Upon making contact with the suspect, the officers smelled a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, Hayslip said. And during their time there with him, they determined he was a danger to himself and/or others. Subsequently, they jailed the suspect on a charge of public intoxication.

A magistrate gave the suspect a $292 cash fine for the offense, which he sat out, according to jail records, and was released the following day.

A Grayson County Jail spokesperson said the state has set sit-out time at $150 per day of incarceration.

Grand Jury indicts 4 Van Alstyne residents

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

As released in the Herald Democrat, four Van Alstyne men were recently indicted on various felony charges. As is also stated in the Herald Democrat, it is important to note that “Indictments are formal charges and are not considered as evidence of guilt.”

The Grayson County District Attorney’s Office provides the information to media following the Grand Jury’s sessions.

The following people were on that list:

Damian Cass Miller, 42, of Bells, formerly a long-time Van Alstyne resident — Burglary of a habitation intend other felony, attempt to commit arson intend damage and three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. It was Sherman police that arrested Miller on Sept. 11 and he remains incarcerated in lieu of $625,000 bail. T he grand jury did not return an indictment on the charge of Criminal Attempt-Capital Murder of Multiple Persons.

Miller went to jail that day after being the sole suspect of crimes at a house on Ricketts Street in Sherman. The callers had said that someone outside the house was breaking windows on the home, pouring gasoline into it, and threatening to set the house on fire. There were three people inside.

Police found Miller in possession of a fuel can, a lighter, two flash drives, 3 DPV units, a receipt, and paper.

Carl David Griffin, 61, of Van Alstyne — Theft of property, five counts of misappropriation of trust fund more than $500 and one count of misappropriation of fiduciary or financial property. GCSO jailed Griffin on April 5, and he posted a surety bond of $7,500 the same day for his release. Details providing information leading to these charges is not available.

Geronimo Santibanez, 54, of Van Alstyne — aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child sexual contact. It was Grayson County deputies who jailed the suspect on Sept. 30, after serving a warrant issued through JP4. J ail records show that the offense was on September 19.  Bail had been set at $100,000, payable in surety bonds with conditions set on them. Jail records also show he was released in early October an attorney bond. Details of the offenses are not available.

Collin Ross Murphy, 34, of Van Alstyne — Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon cause serious bodily injury and aggravated assault causing bodily injury with previous conviction. Grayson County Sheriff’s Office jailed the suspect then on two warrants issued through the Justice of the Peace Precinct 4, showing an offense date of July 10, 2021. Murphy had been released the following date on $45,000 bail paid in surety bonds. Details of this arrest are not available.

 

 

Police Activity, Nov. 8-14

By Mary Jane Farmer for The Van Alstyne News, from information provided by Van Alstyne Police Department

Between the 8th and the 14th of November, Van Alstyne Police received 174 calls for service  resulting in 7 police reports and 4 offense reports. Details on these offense reports are not yet being released, in order to keep the investigation uncontaminated, said Police Sgt. Steve Hayslip. There was also one motor vehicle accident, with no injuries reported.

Police made one arrest.

Nov. 14 arrest — About 6;30 p.m., officers were sent to the 400 block of Nunnalee Avenue regarding a suspicious person. The caller told dispatcher that someone unknown to him/her was in the street screaming and hitting vehicles.

Police located the suspect and, Hayslip said, believe he was on narcotics. They attempted to make contact with him, but he became combative and assaulted one of the officers. The other(s) got him under control and into custody.

The suspect, a Dallas man, age 40, was incarcerated on charges of resisting arrest and assault on a peace officer. He posted bail totally $17,500 in surety bonds for his release the following day.

Hayslip added that the assaulted officer was treated for minor injuries.