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Mabank Junior
High mourns 13-year-old’s death
By Pearl Cantrell
Monitor Staff Writer
GUN BARREL CITY–A local family and junior high school is grieving the loss of a
13-year-old son, student and friend this week. 
As a result of a tragic collision while playing Saturday afternoon, Mabank Junior High
seventh grader Christopher Kyle Hoops lost his life.
According to a press release issued by the Gun Barrel City Police Department he was riding
a dirt bike, while his friend, Dakota Baker, 13, was driving an all-terrain vehicle.
(Editor’s note: The press release did not name either youth. However, the families of
the two boys agreed to release their names.)
Both boys were wearing helmets when they crashed into one another as they circled a tree
in opposite directions, police reported.
The boys collided “almost head on,” the release stated. The second boy was
uninjured.
Hoops was transported by ambulance from the wreck’s location in Harbor Point
subdivision to the helipad behind the fire station on Maybelle Lane.
The medical airlift delivered him to Children’s Hospital in Dallas, where he later
“succumbed to his injuries.”
An announcement on Facebook and text messages quickly spread the word throughout the
community of family and friends, so much so that much of the Mabank Junior High student
body and staff dressed in red Monday as a sign of mourning and sympathy, and tied red
ribbons to a tree at the school. 
The fatality left family members and junior high students stunned and grieving.Monitor
Photo/Janice Grubbs
AT RIGHT: Emergency crews work to transport critically injured Mabank seventh grader Chris
Hoops at the Gun Barrel City helipad Saturday afternoon.
School principal Dr. Darin Jolly announced the sad news during first and second period
classes over the intercom Monday morning.
Extra school counselors met with grieving students Monday to console and listen, some even
attending classes with them.
“This has hit close to home for many students and faculty,” Jolly told The
Monitor. “But the kids and teachers are dealing with it very well.”
Some classes took time out to write letters to Chris and share memories of him, he said.
As a member of the Mabank FFA show team and a football and soccer player, Chris was
well-liked and had many friends.
A schedule of help and meals to assist Chris’ grieving family has also been
organized, Jolly added.
In February, the school participated in an American Heart Association fund-raiser called
Hoops for Heart, Jolly said. “Well, we’ve been making Hearts for Hoops.”
The school halls are decorated with these hearts and posters, as expressions of grief,
love and sympathy over this tragic event.
Funeral services were scheduled for Wednesday at First Baptist Church of Gun Barrel City.
Stolen property found during warrant
roundup
Monitor Staff Reports
KAUFMAN–While executing an outstanding arrest warrant at an address in the Scurry
area, Kaufman County investigators recovered what turned out to be stolen property from a
March home burglary.
According to a press release, investigators called on a residence in the 7000 block of
Farm-toMarket 2451 April 14 to serve a family violence arrest warrant on Christine Beaird,
36, when they noticed a chrome diamond-plated truck tool box, along with other property
thought to be from a Kaufman burglary.
Also, not far from the residence, investigators found a 2004 Ford F-250 Crew Cab pickup
truck, also reported taken during the burglary.
In addition to Beaird, investigators arrested Patrick Carrier, 23, for theft of stolen
property. His bail was set at $1,500. He was taken to the Kaufman County Law Enforcement
Center.
Beaird was transferred to Dallas County Sheriff’s Department on the outstanding
warrants for family violence aggravated assault, and her bond was set at $25,000.
Investigators expect further arrests in this case.
Kemp man indicted for fatal hit-and-run
Monitor Staff Reports
ATHENS–A Kemp man charged in connection with a late-November fatal hit-and-run
accident in Tool was indicted by the Henderson County Grand Jury recently.
Jackie Ray Keith, w/m (white male), 44, from Kemp, indicted for Criminally Negligent
Homicide in connection with the Nov. 30, 2009, death of Hybert Oxendine.
Oxendine, 52, was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver as he walked along State
Highway 274, just south of the Towering Oaks subdivision.
Keith also was indicted for Failure to Stop and Render Aid and for Tampering with Physical
Evidence in connection with the hit-and-run death.
In addition, grand jury members also indicted James Arlie Hampton, w/m, 38, from Athens,
for Murder in connection with the early January death of Corey David.
David’s burned body was discovered Jan. 7 in a pasture off State Highway 19 north of
Athens. He had been reported missing Jan. 2. An autopsy showed David had suffered at least
one gunshot wound.
The indictments were among 53 True Bills returned by the grand jury, which met March 8 and
April 6, according to information released Tuesday by Henderson County District Attorney
Scott McKee’s office.
Indictments were also returned against:
• Jonathan Wayne Davis, w/m, 22, Kemp, indicted for Indecency with a Child/Indecency
with a Child/Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child.
• Zachary Paul Kyer, also known as Zachery Paul Kyer, w/m, 28, from Athens, indicted
for Assault Family Violence/Assault Family Violence/Injury to a Child/Injury to a Child.
• Cynthia Renea Smith, b/f (black female), 30, Athens, indicted for Robbery.
• James Collin Bowden, w/m, 30, Gun Barrel City, indicted for Aggravated Assault with
a Deadly Weapon/Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon.
• Shawn Willis Cook, w/m, 22, from Malakoff, indicted for Aggravated Assault with a
Deadly Weapon.
• Jerry Wayne Williams, b/m (black male), 49, Athens, indicted for Aggravated Assault
with a Deadly Weapon.
• Kyle Jeffery Davis, w/m, 21, from Lindale, indicted for Aggravated Assault with a
Deadly Weapon.
• Rodney Lynn McKenzie, b/m, 34, from Frankston, indicted for Assault Family
Violence/Continuous Violence Against the Family.
• William Charles Gibson Jr., w/m, 38, Kemp, indicted for Assault Family Violence
with Prior Conviction.
• Venita Diana Splawn, w/f (white female), 54, from Athens, indicted for Driving
While Intoxicated, third or subsequent offense.
• Zerita Johnson (no age or address listed), indicted for Securing Execution of a
Document by Deception.
• John Mark Swiney, w/m, 49, from Malakoff, indicted for Driving While Intoxicated,
third or subsequent offense.
• David Allen Gross, w/m, 40, from Gun Barrel City, indicted for Forgery by Passing;
also indicted for Fraudulent Use/Possession of Identifying Information.
• Travis Nathan Thomas, w/m, 20, from Gun Barrel City, indicted for Burglary of a
Habitation.
• Chaz Taelor White, w/m, 20, from Kemp, indicted for Burglary of a Habitation.
• Kaitlynn Mary Jenkins, w/f, 19, from Athens, indicted for Burglary of a Building.
• Jonathan Lloyd Johnson, w/m, 28, from Athens, indicted for Burglary of a Building.
• Roderick Dale Sloan, b/m, 18, from Athens, indicted for Burglary of a Building.
• Plangiman Rochelle Henry Jr., also known as Poolman Planigman, b/m, 20, from
Malakoff, indicted for Evading Arrest.
• Michael Shan Barker, b/m, 28, Athens, indicted for Tampering/Fabricating Physical
Evidence.
• Scot Alan Washburn, b/m, 28, from Athens, indicted for Driving While Intoxicated,
third or subsequent offense.
• Meslissa Crawford, w/f, 42, from Malakoff, indicted for Securing Execution of a
Document by Deception.
• Rhonda Conner Gayle Snow, also known as Norma Nickols, w/f, 39, from Quinlan,
indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance.
• Lisa Suzanne Hafley, also known as Lisa Suzanna Markaham, w/f, 39, from Mabank,
indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance.
• Jerry Wayne Owens, w/m, 30, from Athens, indicted for Manufacture/Delivery of a
Controlled Substance.
• Heather Renea Moffitt, w/f, 22, from Tyler, indicted for Possession of a Controlled
Substance.
• Donald Arthur Russell Jr., w/m, 43, from Kemp, indicted for Possession of a
Controlled Substance.
• Richard M. Jinkins Jr., w/m, 38, from Malakoff, indicted for Possession of a
Controlled Substance.
• Gary Lee Hopkins, w/m, 40, from Murchison, indicted for Possession of a Controlled
Substance.
• Esteen Laree Pettis, w/f, 44, from Eustace, indicted for Possession of a Controlled
Substance.
• Ray Glenn Followwell, also known as Ray Leonard Followwell, w/m, 46, from Kemp,
indicted for Possession/Transport Certain Chemicals with Intent to Manufacture a
Controlled Substance/Possession/Transport of Anhydrous Ammonia/Tampering with Physical
Evidence; also indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to
Distribute/Possession of a Controlled Substance; also indicted for Tampering/Fabricating
Physical Evidence.
• Melvin Harold Wise Jr., also known as Melvin Harold Wide Jr., w/m, 25, from Canton,
indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute/Possession of
a Controlled Substance.
• Michael Dale McClure, w/m, 24, from Eustace, indicted for Possession of a
Controlled Substance.
• Don Earnest Collier, also known as Don Ernest Collier (no age or address listed),
indicted for Forgery by Passing.
• Douglas Glenn Landers, w/m, 43, from Mabank, indicted for Illegal Dumping/Illegal
Dumping.
• Clark Edmund Smith Jr., w/m, 52, from Whitehouse, indicted for Driving While
Intoxicated, third or subsequent offense.
• William Arthur Barton, w/m, 36, from Mabank, indicted for Possession of a
Controlled Substance.
• Anacleto Soto-Soto, also known as Frederico Silva, also known as Victor Jose
Ortega, w/m, 26, from Austin, indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance with
Intent to Distribute/Possession of a Controlled Substance.
• Rafael Aguilar Nunez, w/m, 21, from Tyler, indicted for Possession of a Controlled
Substance with Intent to Distribute/Possession of a Controlled Substance.
• Brenton Keith Ford, w/m, 42, from Brownsboro, indicted for Evading Arrest.
• Elaine Wanda Widman, w/f, 43, Brownsboro, indicted for Hindering
Apprehension/Prosecution of a Felon.
• Britt Howard Hambrick, w/m, 45, from Gun Barrel City, indicted for Evading Arrest
with a Deadly Weapon.
• Leslie Gene Hill, w/m, 44, from Mesquite, indicted for Failure to Appear.
• Letitia Marie Murray, w/f, 42, Malakoff, indicted for Credit/Debit Card Abuse.
• Dakota Crutchfield, w/m, 31, from Athens, indicted for Burglary of a Building; also
indicted for Tampering with Physical Evidence. |