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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
Thursday, January 24, 2002
PHS dismisses teacher who hid gun for student
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Thurs., Jan. 24, 2002 -- The second report this month involving a
gun at one of the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD campuses led to the arrest
of a Pecos High School student and the dismissal of a teacher at the
school, though the gun was not involved in any on-campus incident.
"We can confirm that there was a gun at school," said P-B-T ISD Superintendent
Don Love. "Because of the excellent work done by the Reeves County Sheriff's
Department and the school administration the incident was handled."
Love said the situation has been taken care of, and added he is looking
into every possibility to educate the parents, community and staff.
"We're going to do everything we can to educate the people," said Love.
"We're all in this together and we need everyone's help."
The incident in question occurred on Jan. 11, at Pecos High School, according
to a Reeves County Sheriff's report, though officials did not learn about
it until earlier this week. The student involved, who deputies said has gang
connections, has been placed in the custody of the Reeves County Juvenile
Detention Center and been charged with possession of a prohibited weapon
on a school campus.
Reeves County Sheriff's Department Investigator Michael Dominguez met
with both a teacher and a teacher's aide involved in the incident to take
their statements on Tuesday of this week, following the dismissal of the
teacher by P-B-T officials.
According to the sheriff's department report, the student took a sawed-off
shotgun to school on Jan. 11. He went to the teacher and asked if the teacher
would hold the gun for him, because the school was being searched for drugs
on that day.
The student placed the gun in the closet at school and confided in a teacher's
aide. The teacher's aide advised the teacher to take the weapon off the school
grounds. The teacher then took the gun out of the closet and placed it in
the trunk of the car the teacher owns.
During the lunch break, the teacher then took the gun home, the report
states.
Dominguez said in his statement that the student went back to the teacher's
classroom and asked for the gun back. The student was taken by the teacher
to the house, where he was given the gun before both drove back to school.
Dominguez said that the teacher told him that the student had said not
to tell anyone about the incident or else the teacher would be in trouble.
The deputy indicated that the teacher was scared for her safety and the safety
of the family and children.
The gun in question was described as brown in color and a little over
a foot long with a sawed-off barrel in the front, according to the report.
Dominguez then met with the student at his home, along with his mother,
who consented to a search of his room. Upon searching, police found a Winchester
Model 67 22 caliber rifle, with the barrel cut down to 13¼ inches
long, which was located under a dresser, along with four Remington spent
bullet casings. At that time all items were taken into evidence.
The student was read his Miranda rights at the Reeves County Sheriff's
Office. The student told sheriff's deputies that he had obtained the gun
from another B.P.G. (Brown Pride Gang) member and had taken it to school
to show it to several other students.
He admitted he had given it to a teacher to hold for and then the teacher
had returned it to him.
The student was then placed under arrest for being in possession of a
prohibited weapon on a school campus and transported to the Reeves County
Juvenile Detention Center, since he is a minor.
The teacher was dismissed from her position as a teacher with the school
district as a result of the incident, according to the report she filed with
Dominguez.
The incident occurred two days after a student at Austin Elementary brought
an unloaded gun to that campus. The gun was taken away from the third grader,
and Love said it was a disciplinary matter and was handled under the Texas
Education Code.
Brunt of front passes to east of Pecos area
By LEIA HOLLAND
Staff Writer
PECOS, Thurs., Jan. 24, 2002 -- Today marks the coolest day in the past week
for Pecos and the surrounding areas, according to the National Weather
Service. But the area did miss out on the snow and severe weather that
hit the Panhandle and parts of west-central Texas overnight.
Meteorologist Ray Fagen of the NWS office in Midland said that there is
a winter storm warning for the Guadalupe Mountains until this afternoon.
"It's just a snow advisory for a little bit of snow in the higher elevations,"
he said.
Despite early reports of possible showers today in the Permian Basin,
Fagen reported that the area is under cloudy skies that will be breaking
up later this afternoon.
"As far as Pecos you'll just see a gradual breaking up of clouds," he
said.
With an expected high in the 40s today, Fagen said that it should be cold
tonight but will "start to warm up tomorrow."
Light to moderate snow fell over the South Plains and other parts of West
Texas early Thursday in the wake of a strong cold front that brought thunderstorms
and reports of funnel clouds to northern and central regions.
Texas Tech was forced to postpone its season-opening baseball game in
Lubbock today, after snow blanketed Tech's field this morning. To the south,
showers were mixed with sleet over the southern low Rolling Plains and more
thunderstorms were located over the Big Country and Concho Valley.
The National Weather Service issued tornado warnings after radar detected
strong thunderstorms with rotation near Hamilton and Hico in North Central
Texas. Law officers reported no damage or injuries.
The cold front is expected to drop Friday morning temperatures around
Pecos to about 25 degrees, but Fagen said that Friday should warm up with
an expected high in the 50s.
The past week has brought above normal temperatures in the Permian Basin
with temperatures reaching as high at 75 degrees in Odessa and Midland.
Pecos saw a high of 80 degrees yesterday.
"It has been on the average a little bit warmer than normal," Fagen said.
In the past the normal temperatures for this area are between 50 and 60
degrees.
"We've had a few warm days before we had this brief cold air plunge, which
is not going to stay around very long," Fagen said.
He said not to expect any snow flurries within the next seven days as
temperatures are expected to stay in the upper 60s.
"According to the seven day forecast we won't see snow in the near future,"
he said.
Plate sale planned for lunch on Friday at Santa Rosa Hall
PECOS, Thurs., Jan. 24, 2002 -- A Gordita Plate Sale will be held from
11 a.m. until 3 p.m., on Friday at the Santa Rosa Hall.
The plate will contain two gorditas available with chile verde con carne,
asado or potatoes with meat, rice and beans for $4. Individual gorditas wil
be $1.75.
For orders call 445-2302 on Friday.
The fundraiser is sponsored by the Santa Rosa Prayer Group.
Weather
PECOS, Thurs., Jan. 24, 2002 -- High Wednesday 75. Low this morning 37.
Forecast for tonight: Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 20s. North winds
5 to 10 mph. Friday: Decreasing clouds. Highs in the lower 50s. West
winds 5 to 10 mph. Friday night: Mostly clear. Lows around 30. Saturday:
Mostly sunny. Highs 65 to 70. Sunday: Partly cloudy. Lows from the
mid 30s to lower 40s. Highs from the mid 60s to lower 70s.
Police Report
EDITOR'S NOTE: Information contained in the Police Report
is obtained from reports filed by the Pecos Police Department, Reeves
County Sheriff's Office, or other officers of those agencies. The serving
of warrants by an officer for outstanding fines of either traffic citations,
animal control violations or other court costs are considered arrests
and will be printed as such unless indicated that the fines were paid.
In such instanced we will indicate payment and release.
***
Ruben J. Hernandez, 21, and Sergio A. Cerna, 17, were arrested at 7:35
p.m., on January 16 in the 400 block of South Cherry Street both for possession
of a controlled substance (marijuana) and possession of drug paraphernalia.
***
Marta Vela, 39, was arrested at 2:26 p.m., on January 16 in the 900
block of South Eddy Street for theft under $50.
***
Jose Bustamante, 46, was arrested at 6:26 p.m., on January 15 in the
300 block of South Ash Street on a warrant for public intoxication.
***
Rosalinda Munoz, 53, was arrested at 6:36 p.m., on January 15 in the
700 block of South Ash Street for public intoxication.
***
Jose Martinez, 17, was arrested at 1:29 a.m., on January 16 in the 1100
block of South Oleander Street for assault under the Family Violence Act
and terroristic threat.
***
Epifanio Hernandez, 45, was arrested at 11:38 a.m., on January 15 at
Second and Sycamore streets on a warrant for criminal mischief.
***
A male juvenile was arrested at 5:22 p.m., on January 15 in the 2200
block of Cactus Street by the request of the Juvenile Detention Center.
***
Alberto Prieto, 42, was arrested at 10:09 p.m., on January 22, in the
600 block of Ash Street on a warrant for parole violation.
***
David L. Ortega, 53, was arrested at 6:12 p.m., on January 21 in the
700 block of South Cedar Street on an Ector County Sheriff's Office warrant
for theft by check over $20 and under $500.
***
Jesus Quiroz, 18, and Matthew Contreras, 17, were arrested at 2:18 a.m.,
on January 20 in the 1300 block of East Third Street. Quiroz was arrested
for assault causing bodily injury while Contreras was arrested for terroristic
threat.
***
Albert Prieto, 20, Lee O. Varela, 18, Christopher Fuentez, 19, Adrian
Armendarez, 17, and Samuel Mata, 18, were arrested at 10:21 p.m., on January
18 in the 400 block of Magnolia Street. All were arrested for public intoxication
and evading detention.
***
Martin Vasquez, 18, was arrested at 7:16 p.m., on January 17 in the
1600 block of South Johnson Street for evading arrest and detention.
***
Martin Vasquez, 18, was arrested at 11:20 a.m., on January 18 at the
Town & Country, 900 W. Palmer
St., on a warrant for violation promise to appear.
***
Jerry T. Orona, 18, and Juan V. Vasquez, were arrested at 8:44 p.m.,
on January 17 in the 700 block of Alberta Street. Orona was arrested for
driving under the influence, open container, disorderly conduct-urinating
in public place, no driver's license and DPS warrants for driving under the
influence-minor and minor in possession. Vasquez was arrested on DPS warrants
for minor in possession.
***
Juan V. Vasquez, 20, was arrested at 10:31 p.m., on January 18 at Reeves
County Sheriff's Office on a New Mexico warrant for four counts of unlawful
to issue.
***
Salvador Ramirez, 18, was arrested at 12:53 p.m., on January 17 at Pecos
High School on a Capias Pro Fine warrant.
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 newsdesk@nwol.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 2002 by Pecos Enterprise
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