|
Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Monday, November 24, 2003
Area accidents cause 3 deaths over weekend
By BRENDEN BRIGGS
Staff Writer
PECOS, Mon., Nov. 24, 2003 -- Two persons from Midland and a
7-year-old girl were killed on Saturday in two separate vehicle
accidents near Balmorhea and Van Horn, according to the Texas
Department of Public Safety.
The accident in Reeves County occurred on Saturday at 1:45 p.m. on
State Highway 17, 1.4 miles north of Balmorhea. According to the DPS
report, a 2002 Ford Explorer was traveling northbound when it came upon
a right hand curve, at which time the driver lost control of the
vehicle.
The SUV ran off the road to the right on the curve, and then
overcorrected back to the left. This sent the Explorer into a broadside
slide that ended when the vehicle rolled over one and a half times.
Both the driver and the passenger were ejected during the accident.
Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Jim Riley pronounced the driver,
Sandra K. Mitchell, 51, out of Midland dead at the scene at 2:57 p.m.
Two minutes later Riley pronounced the passenger, Angela Joe Brogdon,
57, out of Midland dead as well. The driver was wearing a seatbelt at
the time of the accident.
DPS Trooper Terry Gilchrest investigated the accident.
The second incident took place 90 minutes before the fatal wreck in
Balmorhea in Culberson County, on Interstate 10, 18 miles east of Van
Horn which resulted in the death of the young girl and injuries to the
driver and four other passengers in the vehicle.
According to the DPS report, at 1:27 p.m. on Saturday a 1998
Plymouth Voyager was traveling westbound in the outside lane of the
highway, and was attempting to pass a tractor-trailer. The truck
changed lanes, forcing the minivan into the center median. The driver
then lost control, causing the vehicle to roll numerous times. Two of
the occupants were ejected, one died.
The driver, Erma Perez, suffered only minor injuries and was wearing
her safety belt at the time of the accident. However, 7-year-old
Melissa Gabrielle Ponces, was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected
and died due to injuries incurred during the accident.
J.P. Ismael Villalobos pronounced Ponces dead at 4 p.m., according
to the DPS report
Maricela Andrea Perez, 4, was not wearing a seatbelt, was ejected
but survived the crash with head injuries. Valentine Perez, 24, was not
wearing a safety belt, but only suffered an ankle injury. Andrea Cantu,
24, was wearing a seatbelt and suffered leg and neck injuries in the
rollover. Joey Ponces, 9, was wearing a seatbelt during the collision
and suffered chest contusions from the accident.
Van Horn DPS Trooper Jari McPherson investigated the accident.
Issues involving water field on council's agenda
By BRENDEN BRIGGS
Staff Writer
PECOS, Mon., Nov. 24, 2003 -- The Town of Pecos City Council will meet
this evening for their second regular session for the month of
November, beginning at 5:30 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall.
The meeting was moved up to night from its normal Thursday date
because of the Thanksgiving holiday.
On the agenda for this evening are multiple items from the
engineering firm working on the South Worsham Water Field, the possible
approval of the Pecos Economic Development Corporation 2004 budget and
an executive session on another issue related to the water field
project.
The Frank Spencer and Associates engineering firm is scheduled to
present to the council an update on the South Worsham Water Field
Project. State inspectors did their first walk-through last week, and
the minor changes that need to be made were approved in the previous
council meeting. Texas Water Development Board inspectors saw a few
problems with the computerized telemetry system that were remedied
through the system's manufacturer.
In addition, the engineering firm is set to give a presentation to
the council on the new total dissolved solids monitoring devices that
were approved on the Nov. 13 council meeting in conjunction with a
general overview of the telemetry-computer system itself.
According to interim City Manager Clay McKinney, the implementation
of this system will allow the monitoring of the function of the wells
on the water field from here in town. "The computer system will track
the GPM (gallons per minute) output of each line and alert us if there
is a malfunction with any component of the water field," McKinney said.
The council is also set to hear from Frank Spencer and Associates on
two possible additional projects on the South Worsham Water Field.
The first is the addition of two more wells on the field, bringing
the total up to 18 according to City Secretary Connie Levario. The
second project is the possible refurbishment or replacement of a 1
million gallon holding tank at the site.
Also on the agenda is the consideration of the PEDC budget for the
upcoming year. The council is set to look at the figures again, after
the workshop session held last week to update the council on the PEDC's
activities. Council members had heard complaints over the lack of
information coming from the PEDC's officers.
In other business, the council is scheduled to go into executive
session over, as the agenda reads: "possible litigation on water field
conference with city attorney." City officials would not comment
further on the subject until the matter was decided.
The council will also discuss the approval of the monthly reports
form the various municipal departments during this evening's meeting.
Registration dates, GED testing times announced
PECOS, Mon., Nov. 24, 2003 -- Pecos High School will be hosting GED
testing on Dec. 9 and 10 at 3:30 p.m.
Registration for the test is on Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 1 and 2
from 1-4 p.m. in the Pecos High School Counselor's Office. A valid
Texas driver's license or Texas Department of Public Safety ID card
must be presented for testing.
For more information please contact counselors Pat Cobos or Eva
Arriola at the high school, 447-7229.
Weather
PECOS, Mon., Nov. 24, 2003 -- High Sunday 57. Low this morning 23.
Forecast for tonight: Partly cloudy. Lows 35 to 40. Southeast winds 5
to 15 mph. Tuesday: Mostly cloudy. Highs near 70. Southwest winds 10 to
15 mph. Tuesday night: Partly cloudy. Lows near 40. West winds 5 to 15
mph. Wednesday: Mostly sunny. Highs near 70. Northwest winds 10 to 20
mph. Wednesday night: Clear. Lows in the mid 30s. Thanksgiving day:
Mostly sunny. Highs near 60. Thursday night: Partly cloudy. Lows near
30.
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
Division of Buckner News Alliance, Inc.
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 915-445-5475, FAX 915-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net
Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium.
Copyright 2003 by Pecos Enterprise
|
