Wilson Odirachukwunma Nwokrie

Press Release from Van Alstyne Police Department

On Wednesday, August 6, at approximately 11:00 a.m., Van Alstyne Police Officers  responded to a reported robbery at the Sonic Drive-In located at 1130 W. Van Alstyne Parkway.
The suspect, identified as Wilson Odirachukwunma Nwokrie, an Anna resident, arrived at the location and placed a food order. After the order was delivered by an employee, Nwokorie attempted to pay with a credit card. The employee returned inside the establishment to process the payment, which was declined.When the employee returned to notify Nwokorie,  the suspect reversed his vehicle and drove toward the employee, attempting to strike them with the vehicle. This action placed the employee in immediate fear of injury. Nwokorie then fled the scene, reported VAPD Lt. Steven Hayslip.
Responding officers were provided with the suspect’s license plate number. Utilizing the Department’s license plate recognition software, officers located and tracked the vehicle. A traffic stop was initiated, and Nwokorie was taken into custody without further incident.
He was transported to the Grayson County Jail and booked on the following charges:
• Robbery
• Fraudulent Possession/Use of Identifying Information (<5 items)

Grayson County Jail records show that bail for the suspect is at a total of $30,000 and as of late Thursday, he remains incarcerated.
The investigation is ongoing. No injuries were reported, said Heyslip.

By Mary Jane Farmer for the Van Alstyne News — Information provided by Van Alstyne Police Lt. Steven Hayslip

July 17 — At about 8:36 pm, police officers conducted a warrant service in the 1000 block of Ballard Road.  They found the suspect there, and confirmed the warrant they had issued against him previously. It charges the suspect with Assault Causing Bodily Injury-Family Violence. Police jailed him on the Warrant.

The book-in procedure was completed on July 19, and he posted bail of $2,500 with a surety bond which has special conditions placed upon the suspect for his July 19 release.

July 17 — It was about 2 hours later when the officers conducted a second warrant service, this at a house in the 500 block of Thompson Drive. They, again, found the suspect there and re-determined the two active warrants issued for his arrest, then jailed him on the warrants.

Grayson County Jail records indicate that Montgomey County issued one warrant which charged him with possession of illegal drugs in a large amount. The second warrant was issued in Grayson County and charged the suspect with Failure to Appear on a previous charge of Possession of Drugs between 4-200 grams. There is no bail allowed on that charge and the suspect remains incarcerated.

July 17 — At about 10:22 p.m., while officers were conducting that second warrant, another person at the house hindered them from arresting the suspect, a known felon. They placed this suspect under arrest on a charge of Hindering Apprehension.

Jail records show he posted bail of $10,000 with a surety bond and was freed the next day.

July 18 — A Mesquite man went to Grayson County Jail after police stopped him and determined he was intoxicated. It. Was about 10:44 p.m., when they saw the man’s vehicle moving out of its lane in a dangerous manner. While talking with the suspect, they smelled the odor of an intoxicating beverage and saw an open can of such a beverage near him.

They jailed the suspect on a charge of DWI w/Open Container. He posted bail of $2,000 the next day and was released.

July 19 — A little after 2 in the morning, police stopped a vehicle on U.S. Highway 75 at Van Alstyne Parkway after seeing it being driven in a construction zone at 85 mph in a 65-mph zone. The driver was a McKinney man, who, police discovered, had two active warrants for his arrest. These charge him with

Unlawfully Carrying a Weapon and Knowingly Altering a License Plate.

Bail on those were a total of $2,500, which the suspect paid and was released the following day.

July 19 — About 11 p.m., police were sent to the 400 block of Rigsby in reference to an intoxicated man. They found him in a public place and determined he was a danger to himself and/or others.

Police then took him to Grayson County Jail.

Wrecks

The first wreck of the week happened in/near the 152 N. Main parking lot, no date given. The report states that it was an unknown vehicle that struck another vehicle that was parked in the lot, and then failed to stop and leave identifying information, as required by the Texas Traffic Code.

July 20 — Shortly before midnight, officers saw what appeared to be an accident at Henry Hynds service road at Northridge. They determined that the car was going north and observed an animal in the road. The driver hit the temporary concrete median, and not the animal.

Road construction is shown here at a temporary hold as crews wait for the on-coming (not shown) pilot car and the vehicles it is leading westward into town. The fire engine had a short no-go because both lanes of the two-lane road were in use.

By Mary Jane Farmer for the Van Alstyne News.

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT ) is nearing completion of one project — that of resurfacing FM 121 from the east side of town to State Highway 160. TxDOT’s Paris office said that it should be completed by the end of August.

The contractor doing the work for TxDOT has now laid down hot-mix asphalt in the western most stretch of the highway, from the Jefferson Street entry to the Central Social District and eastward. TxDOT added that they may still have some more repairs to make Friday.

“From the railroad track to the park, it is scheduled to be completed by the end of this week,” said a TxDOT spokesperson. And today (Friday) the pavement portion does seem to be complete.

To help make it easier for residents along that area, east of the railroad tracks, the contractor put flaggers at all the side streets to help control and assist traffic.

Now “the contractor has the option to put temporary tabs for the striping and then do all the striping later. It won’t take long, and it is a mobile operation with no major disruption to traffic,” TxDOT said.

Signage will continue throughout the project. The entire project’s expected completion date is the end of August. This depends on weather, equipment and other unforeseen conditions, according to TxDOT.

By Mary Jane Farmer for the Van Alstyne News

Van Alstyne Police Lt. Steven Hayslip reported on the following arrests and accidents that have happened since July 1.

First, he said, there were twenty-eight ((28) calls about fireworks being activated inside town limits during the week.

Incidents & Arrests

July 1 — At about 10:48 m, police made a traffic stop on South Waco at East Fulton St. after seeing the vehicle speeding and with a defective license plate light. The report said it was going 50 miles per hour in a 40-mph zone. Upon speaking with the driver, a Porum, OK woman, they smelled the odor of marijuana, which led them to a probable cause search. Hayslip said they found a quantity of marijuana and placed her under arrest on a charge of Possession of Marijuana less than 2 oz.

Grayson County Jail records her book-in process was completed after midnight, July 2, and that bail was set at $1,500. She posted it that next day for her release.

July 3 — About 11 p.m., police saw a vehicle fail to legally yield to an emergency vehicle. They initiated a traffic stop and smelled t he odor of an intoxicating beverage coming from the driver. Police put him through the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests, after which, they jailed him on a charge of Driving While Intoxicated.

Jail records show that the driver was a Plano man, that bail was set at. $3,000, and that the suspect paid that with a surety bond for his release on July 4.

July 4 — About 2 a.m., police were dispatched to a reckless-driver call, no address given. The caller to dispatch said the vehicle was going 30 mph in a 65-mph zone and could maintain a single lane.

Police located and stopped the described vehicle. They reportedly smelled the odor of an intoxicating beverage and put the driver through the SFSTs. Then, they jailed her on a charge of Driving While Intoxicated. The driver, a Tulsa, OK., woman posted bail of $3,000 with surety bonds and was released later July 4.

July 5 — It was about 3:40 a.m. Saturday when police made a traffic stop of a southbound U.S. Highway 75 at FM 121 vehicle because they saw it going 83 mph in a 65-mph zone. The driver was a Van Alstyne resident. After making the stop and getting his information, police found that there was an outstanding warrant issued by Denton County Sheriff’s Office. The warrant charged him with Evading Arrest or Detention with a vehicle and had bail set at $10,000. He posted it later in the day and was released.

Accidents

July 2 — At almost 10 a.m., police were sent to. The intersection Henry Hynds and West Van Alstyne Parkway, in reference to a motor vehicle crash. They reported that one vehicle was traveling east on Van Alstyne Parkway  when another one that was going westward turned south at the intersection, and both vehicle’s backseat driver’s sides collided. Hayslip said, from the report, that there was minor damage and no injuries.

July 2 — It was about 5:30 p.m. when police officers were sent to the intersection of Hopson and Marshall streets regarding a motor vehicle accident. They soon learned that a vehicle disregarded the stop sign at the two streets and ran into the side of a house. Van Alstyne EMS was called to the scerne, but the driver refused treatment and no one went to a hospital.

July 3 — A 2-vehicle crash at West Van Alstyne Parkway and Jim Jones Rod happened about 4:20 p.m.  Police reported that one vehicle was going east and made a U-Turn on Van Alstyne Parkway struck it. There was major damage to both. The report said the occupants of both vehicles had minor pain, but that it was from previous injuries. They refused treatment.

July 4 — About 1 p.m. Friday, police were sent to southbound U.S. 75 near Van Alstyne Parkway to investigate a two-vehicle crash. They determined that one vehicle was traveling south on US 75 and  75 and hit the back of another vehicle on the same highway, causing minor damage to both. The report is that there were no injuries and no one was taken to the hospital

NOTE: Information will soon be provided for another wreck during this time frame, a July 2 crash.

Dustin Lowe — Courtesy photo

Press Release from American Airplay, with a Courtesy photo

I (Mary Jane Farmer) have listened to this song several times, and hope that someday Dustin will call to play up here in Way-North Texas, maybe when he’s on his way to or from Nashville.

Dustin Lowe is a singer/songwriter from Bandera, Texas, down in the midst of the Texas Hill Country. He’s been a long-time fixture down there, but has many friends and fans across the state and into Europe.

He’s also a highly successful, lifelong goat rancher who somehow finds time to write and record many of his songs in between taking care of acreage and animals 24/7 – while still traveling to Nashville several times a yea

Dustin’s new single is titled “Shake Your Copenhagen,” and is a rocking, good time tune that’ll have you singing along, and more than likely dancing along as well – whether you partake in the “dip” or not!! The song was co-written by Dustin Lowe, Tobie England, and Bobby E. Boyd, who also produced the record.Dustin Lowe