VAPD Detective Dale Ingram.
Courtesy photo

The Van Alstyne Police Department is deeply saddened to announce the passing of one of its own. Detective Dale Ingram, Badge #229, passed away on June 11, 2025, following a courageous battle with illness.

Detective Ingram was more than a law enforcement officer—he was a hero, a mentor, and a beloved member of our community. He served the City of Van Alstyne with honor and distinction for more than six years. Prior to his time with our Department, Det. Ingram dedicated nearly four decades of his life to serving and protecting other communities across Texas.

Throughout his career, Det. Ingram was known for his unwavering commitment to helping others. Whether responding to a call, investigating a case, or offering a word of comfort, he ensured that every individual who needed help received it. His compassion, integrity, and professionalism earned him the respect of colleagues and citizens alike.

Det. Ingram was a devoted family man. He cherished time with his loved ones and brought the same warmth and dedication to his personal life as he did to his service.

Det. Ingram’s legacy of service, kindness, and dedication will live on in the hearts of those who knew him and the countless lives he touched.

The police department asks the community “to join us in keeping his family, friends, and fellow officers in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, June 18, at Scoggins Funeral Home, located at 637 W Van Alstyne Parkway, Van Alstyne.

The funeral service will be held at 10 a.m.Thursday, June 19, in the Van Alstyne Junior High School gymnasium located at 1722 N Waco Street, Van Alstyne.

For more information, please contact Sgt. Carl Parker via Email at cparker@vanalstynepolice.com or through the police department’s phone, 903.482.5251.

Rest in peace, Detective Dale Ingram.
You will never be forgotten.

By MaryJane Farmer for the Van Alstyne News

Van Alstyne Police Lt. Steven Hayslip, the department’s Public Information Officer, reported on these five arrests made between May 20 and May 31.

On Tuesday, May 20, just after the 2 a.m. hour, police initiated a traffic stop in the 100 block of S. Henry Hynds.  They made it after seeing a vehicle moving down the road without a front license plate and with a defective brake light.

Police found out that there was a TCIC/NCIC (Texas and National Crime Information Centers) warrant for the driver, a Trenton man, issued in Nueces County and charging him with Burglary of a Habitation. They placed him under arrest transported to the Grayson County Jail without incident, Hayslip said. The suspect was handed over to law enforcement from that county on May 25.

On May 24, just a little after midnight, police made a traffic stop on southbound U.S Hwy 75 at Exit 51. They, using protocol technology, determined he was driving without insurance.

While talking with the driver, a Garland man, they noticed him to be grabbing his front right pocket. Officers asked him multiple times what he had in his pocket. He then pulled a clear plastic bag partially out of his pocket. At this time, officers observed psilocybin mushrooms inside the clear bag. He was placed under arrest on a charge of Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 2 between 1-4 grams.

On Sunday, May 25, at about 3:00 p.m., officers were dispatched to the area of FM 121 & Spain Road, on the east side of town, after a caller reported a reckless driver who might also be intoxicated.

They located the described vehicle upon arrival and made contact with the driver who, they determined was a Melissa woman. They smelled the odor of an intoxicating beverage emitting from her and noticed that her eyes were bloodshot. When they asked her to get out of the vehicle, but she refused. As she resisted, an officer helped her out of the vehicle. She refused to talk or perform the Standardized Field Sobriety tests.

They placed the suspect under arrest on charges of Driving While Intoxicated with an Open Container, and with Resisting Arrest.

On May 27, at approximately 11:22 p.m., officers were sent to SB Hwy. 75 at Hodgins Road, in reference to a motor vehicle accident. Upon arrival, officers located the vehicle and spoke with the driver. They smelled the odor of an intoxicating beverage coming from her and she admitted to having been drinking. Officers could smell the odor of an intoxicating beverage. She admitted to having been drinking an intoxicating beverage and then consented to SFST’s. After the tests were complete, she was placed under arrest for DWI.

About midnight, May 31, officers were dispatched to the 400 block of Moody regarding an individual with a possible warrant. Upon arrival, they made contact with the woman, from Van Alstyne, and they determined there an active warrant for her arrest. It charged her with Parole Violation. At this time, jail records show that she remains in Grayson County Jail.

Courtesy Photo
Rocky Clay Patterson

By Mary Jane Farmer, the Van Alstyne News 

The investigation into a 3-vehicle crash that happened a little after noon on Sunday and that claimed three lives, is still on-going, said Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Tony De La Certa.

The crash happened on FM-3133, just west of Jim Cannon Road.

De La Certa reported that a 2007 Dodge 3500 was westbound behind a 2017 Toyota Tacoma, ascending a hill. The driver of the Dodge attempted to pass the Toyota in a No-Passing Zone and struck a 2003 Chevrolet Silverado head-on, causing the Chevrolet to catch on fire. The The driver of the Chevrolet Silverado, Tommy Moorehead III, a 41-year-old from Leonard, Texas, was pronounced deceased at the scene, as were both of his passengers, a 4-year-old and a 6-year-old.

The driver of the Dodge 3500, Rocky Patterson, a 63-year-old from Rowlett, Texas, was transported to Baylor Scott & White Hospital in McKinney.

The driver of the Tacoma, Dennis Pringle, a 74-year-old from Anna, was treated at the scene.

Texas Highway Patrol troopers obtained an arrest warrant for Patterson, charging him with second-degree felony on three county of Manslaughter. They arrested him and booked him into Grayson County Jail on the three second-degree felony charges.

Bail is set on the charges at $1,000,000 each, for a total bail of $3,000,000. As of Tuesday, Patterson remains incarcerated.

De La Cerda said that no additional information is available. Calls and E-mails to the Leonard Tribune, a weekly newspaper, were not timely returned.

By Mary Jane Farmer, Van Alstyne News

Van Alstyne Police made several arrests between Sunday and May 4 of this year. The Department’s Public Information Officer, Lt. Steven Hayslip reported on these.

May 4 — About 7:40 pm, police were sent to a restaurant in the 300 block of N. Henry Hynds expressway, where they were told there was an intoxicated person.

They saw the described person who was leaving the restaurant and saw him run his vehicle off the road. They initiated a traffic stop and then talked with him. Hayslip reported they could smell the odor of an alcoholic drink, the suspect’s speech was slurred, and he was unsteady on his feet.

They put the suspect through several intoxicating beverage, his speech was slurred, and he was unsteady on his feet. Officers conducted Standardized Field Sobriety Tests, after which they placed the driver, a Denton man, under arrest on a charge of Driving While Intoxicated 3^rd or More times.

At the Grayson County Jail, a magistrate set the suspect’s bail at a total of $20,000, which he paid in surety bonds on May 5 for his release.

May 10 — Police jailed a McKinney man on a charge of Possession of Marijuana Less than 1 oz. This began about 10:15 pm, when the officers made a traffic stop in the 600 block of N. Henry Hynds Expressway after seeing a vehicle bring driven without a front license plate. The driver stopped for police and as they spoke with him, they smelled the odor of marijuana coming from inside his vehicle. They conducted a probable-cause search and found the marijuana. They arrested the suspect.

Jail records show that the suspect paid his bail of $1,500 with a surety bond for his release the following day.

May 12 — A traffic stop that was made after police saw a car’s occupant not wearing his seat belt, and ended with his arrest on a charge of Possession of Marijuana Less Than 2 oz.

It was about 5:30 pm, when they spotted the moving vehicle on northbound US Hwy 75 around Exit 52. They noticed immediately that the backseat occupant wasn’t buckled up and made the traffic stop. They talked with all occupants and discovered that the unbuckled passenger was knowingly or intentionally in possession of marijuana. Police took the suspect, of Durant, Oklahoma, to G.C jail. There, a magistrate set bail on the charge at $1,500, which the suspect paid the next day with a surety bond for his release.

May 13 — It was a Glendale, Arkansas, man who police jailed on a charge of DWI-2^nd Offense. Hayslip said that about 12:15 am, police stopped a vehicle after seeing it not stop for the stop sign on Henry Hynds at Farmington. They smelled the odor of an intoxicating beverage, noticed his speech was slurred. After conducting SFSTs on the suspect, then jailed him on the charge.

May 14  — About 1:30 am, police were patrolling the area in the 600 block of Blassingame, when they heard a vehicle alarm. They went to the sound and saw a man sitting in the back seat of an otherwise-unoccupied occupied vehicle. While talking with him, the vehicle’s owner came along and said the man was a family member and there was no problem with him being inside the vehicle. However, following protocol, the officers ran the man’s identification information and found two outstanding warrants for his arrest, issued by Dallas County. The warrants charged the suspect with Possession of Controlled Substance between 4-200 grams and with Evading Arrest or Detention with Vehicle. Since his arrest, another agency has put a Parole Violator charge against the suspect, who is a Van Alstyne resident. He remains incarcerated without benefit of bail..

May 15 — About 8 am, Police were sent to a reckless driver call. They located the vehicle, stopped it, and made contact with the driver, a Mesquite resident.

They immediately smelled the odor of an alcohol beverage, noticed that his speech was slurred and his were bloodshot. While conducting the DWI investigation, they determined he was driving on a public roadway and jailed for DWI w/an Open Container. The Grayson County Jail doesn’t show suspect in its database., so there is no further information.

Press Release from Van Alstyne PD’s Lt. Steven Hayslip

On May 8, at 10:22 a.m., a tractor-trailer rig was traveling eastbound in the 400 block of Van Alstyne Parkway. The driver realized a need to turn around and attempted to do so by entering the parking lot of Oakview Rentals.

During the maneuver, the tractor-trailer struck multiple overhead power and communication lines. As a result, several lines were severed and four utility poles sustained damage.

For safety reasons, the driver was instructed to remain inside the vehicle until Oncor arrived on scene and disconnected the power. Once the area was secured, the driver was safely removed from the vehicle.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the incident.