NCSO News

Roscoe, Highland and Blackwell Schools start on Monday, August 27, 2012, and the Nolan County Sheriff’s Office reminds motorists to use extra caution and obey speed limits, particularly in residential neighborhoods and school zones.

Many young students will walk or ride bicycles to school or to the bus stop, older students will drive themselves to school for the first time this year and will be sharing the road and parking lots with many other new drivers as well as pedestrians, therefore it is important and encouraged that all motorists and young drivers be vigilant and never allow distractions to take their eyes off the road. Put away your cell phone and don’t talk or text while driving! Watch for children at intersections, on curbs and in crosswalks and take extra care when entering and exiting driveways and alleys.

Beware of children darting out from between parked vehicles.

Motorists, use caution when following or approaching a school bus, especially near bus stops. Do not pass a school bus, motorists must stop for all school buses when the stop sign is out and or lights are flashing. This is true even if the bus is on the opposite side of the street.

Deputies will strictly enforce all traffic laws near schools, giving citations that carry greater fines than regular speeding infractions.

“Let’s work together to protect our children so that they have a safe and enjoyable school year.”

On Sunday, August 12, at approximately 5:30am, NCSO deputies, along with Sweetwater police and fire units, responded to a single vehicle crash involving an overturned tractor-trailer that was blocking both northbound lanes of travel on US84 near county road 138.

It was found, that the tractor-trailer tanker, loaded with milk and traveling southbound on US84, left the roadway and as a result, overturned, then came to a rest partially in the median while blocking both northbound lanes of travel. A short time later, a small passenger vehicle, traveling northbound, drove onto the crash scene and as the driver attempted to avoid a collision, subsequently went into a skid and left the roadway.

Both drivers sustained minor injuries and were transported to the Rolling Plaines Emergency room by Sweetwater Ambulance Service. Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Robert Regan later arrived and conducted a traffic crash investigation. Texas Department of Transportation and Roscoe Volunteer Firemen also arrived and assisted in traffic control while the tractor-trailer and debris was removed from the area; thereafter the Health Department arrived and conducted a clean-up of the spilt product.

Area officers from the Nolan County Sheriff’s Office, Sweetwater Police Department and Texas Department of Public Safety were trained over the last two days in high performance tactical police driving maneuvers.  Four specialized driving instructors, all Troopers with the Texas Department of Public Safety and one intern came to Sweetwater to offer the instruction that covered two days, Monday, July 9 and Tuesday, July 10.

The instructors for this course were Texas DPS Troopers from Eastland, Graham, Plainview and Brownwood who really put on a top notch school and challenged the participants.  The City of Sweetwater and Avenger Field Airport were gracious to allow us to utilize a portion of the airport for this training.  TSTC provided a classroom and the local TXDOT office provided the orange traffic cones, most of which survived the two day encounter.”

Daniel Olds, with Stamford Police Department, received the “Top Driver” award for Monday’s session and Sgt. Todd Jones, with Sweetwater Police Department, received the award at the conclusion of Tuesday’s session.

“I certainly want to express my appreciation to local DPS Sergeant James Arnwine and NCSO Chief Deputy David McDonald for orchestrating and organizing this very beneficial training.  Our NCSO Deputies truly gained a great deal of knowledge of what the limitations are on a variety of police vehicles.  It was really nice to see the cooperation and joint effort with members of the Sweetwater Police Department, our NCSO Deputies and some local area Texas DPS Troopers all participating together.” said Sheriff David Warren.

“Unfortunately, many peace officers in Texas lose their lives every year in police vehicle related incidents.  I felt it was vital to provide our personnel with this type of training to help better equip them for high performance police driving situations, so they will be safer when that type of driving is required of them” said Sheriff David Warren.

Effective on April 1, 2012; Civil Process/DARE Deputy Angie Collier has been promoted to the position of Criminal Investigator, Transport Deputy Eli Cunningham to Civil Process/DARE Deputy and County Jailer Daniel King to Patrol Deputy. Deputy Collier has been assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division, a sergeant level position where she will be responsible for investigating misdemeanor and felony level crimes including homicide, robbery, burglary, sex offenses, high level assaults, narcotics violations, and crimes against children. Collier joined the Sheriff’s Office in 2005 and has worked in the Patrol Division, Civil Process Service and D.A.R.E. Educational Program.

“I am very pleased that Deputy Collier has agreed to accept the Criminal Investigator’s position. That particular position is likely the most challenging and time consuming job in the Sheriff’s Office, but I know Angie is very capable and will do her absolute best,” said Sheriff Warren.

Deputy Cunningham has been a member of the Sheriff’s Office since 2006 and has worked in both the Patrol and Transport Divisions. Cunningham also serves as a weapons trainer and firearms proficiency officer.
“I am confident that Deputy Cunningham will do an excellent job at keeping both of those functions running very smoothly and I want to emphasize that I intend to keep the DARE program going in Roscoe, Highland and Blackwell schools just as we have for the past 15 years” said Sheriff Warren.

Deputy King has been assigned to the Patrol Division and upon the successful completion of the FTO training program; he will assume the duties of a Patrol Deputy and will be tasked with the coverage of approximately 914 square miles of rural Nolan County including over 1,000 linear miles of improved county roads, lakes, residences and businesses located outside the incorporated city limits.

Deputy King has been a member of the Sheriff’s Office since 2012 and had previously been assigned to the Jail Division as a County Jailer.

“Deputy King came to us from Taylor County and he already had his Texas Peace Officer’s license. Daniel has done a superb job in the jail for the last year and a half and I’m sure he will make a really fine Deputy” said Sheriff Warren.