Devon Freeman Killed in Louisiana Car Wreck

Devon Freeman as RCHS Homecoming King in September 2011.

Devon Freeman, 21, a 2012 RCHS graduate, was fatally injured shortly after 2am on Friday, May 29, when his 2011 Toyota Camry rear-ended a 2012 Peterbilt 18-wheeler on US 190 westbound at the intersection of LA 1 in Pointe Coupee Parish, about 15 miles west of Baton Rouge.

He was unrestrained at the time of the crash and was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Pointe Coupee Coroner’s Office.  The driver of the truck, Derrick L. Hall, 47, of Baker, Louisiana, was wearing his seatbelt and not injured.

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VEHICLE BREAK-INS REPORTED DOWNTOWN SATURDAY NIGHT

The Nolan County Sheriff’s Office is reporting that on Saturday, May 30, at approximately 11:30pm, deputies responded to reports of a burglary of vehicles in the 100 block of Cypress Street in Roscoe. It was reported that an unknown person or persons used force and entered four vehicles. Once inside the thieves took purses, cash, and other financial documents. The combined value of the items taken and damage to the vehicles is estimated at approximately $5,500.

On the same night, Burritos Zacatecas on Main Street across from the Post Office was also broken into with many items taken.

The Nolan County Sheriff’s Office and Crime Stoppers is asking for your assistance to help locate the person(s) responsible. If you have information regarding these crimes or any other crime, call the Nolan County Sheriff’s Office at 325-235-5471 or to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 325-235-TIPS (8477). You can also submit an anonymous tip online. Nolan County Crime Stoppers offers a reward of up to $1,000.00 for information that leads to the arrest and filing of charges against the person(s) responsible for these or any other unsolved felony crimes.

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TWO CRITICALLY INJURED IN AUTO ACCIDENT ON I-20 ONE MILE WEST OF TOWN

Roscoe Police assisted in a one-vehicle accident that occurred yesterday afternoon at the overpass just west of Roscoe at Mile 235.  A small, white, four-door Chevrolet carrying a man, woman, and three children apparently struck the concrete on both sides of the bridge before coming to a stop.

Two of the injured, one with life-threatening injuries, were airlifted away from the scene by helicopter, while the other three were taken away by ambulance.

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LUMBERYARD TO HOST KXOX COUNTRY SHOWDOWN SATURDAY

The 34th Annual Country Showdown will showcase local and area talent at the Lumberyard this Saturday, June 6. Sponsored in this area by Sweetwater radio station KXOX, the Country Showdown is a national event that gives aspiring country music artists a chance to launch their professional careers.

The Country Showdown is open to both vocal and instrumental performers and welcomes individual acts or groups with up to seven members. Acts must not have performed on a record charted in Billboard’s Top 100 Country format within eighteen months preceding the local competition. To ensure fairness, a uniform judging system is used on all levels of competition. Judges for this year’s competition include 2014’s National Winner, Crystal Yates! A $20 entry fee is required of all acts.

Saturday’s winner will have the opportunity to compete at Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth against other regional winners, and the winner there gets a trip to Nashville and a chance to win $100,000, along with other benefits.

The show begins at 7:00pm and is free of charge.

All entries must be received NO LATER THAN 5:00pm TODAY, JUNE 3. Entry forms are available at the Lumberyard or by calling KXOX at 325-236-6655. For more information visit www.countryshowdown.com, or call the Lumberyard at 325-766-2457.

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WEATHER REPORT: TWO MORE RAINS

Storm clouds over Roscoe last Thursday. 

On Thursday and Saturday we got two more rains.  Here in Roscoe, weatherman Kenny Landfried recorded .45” on Thursday night and early Friday morning and .73” on Saturday (although he notes that he got 1.5” for the same rain at his farm northwest of town).  The town total of 1.18” for the two brings a total of 5.81” for the month of May while others in areas around Roscoe report well over six inches total.

Many cities in Texas are reporting that this was their wettest May on record, and the Weather Channel says it was the wettest May on record for both Texas and Oklahoma. Roscoe, however, has had three years since 1936 in which May was wetter than this year: 1982 with 10.92”, 1957 with 7.81”, and 1994 with 6.94”.

Since Saturday, we’ve been drying out although we got a little more precipitation yesterday morning, with an official .05”. Others reported getting as much as a tenth of an inch. Temperatures have still been relatively mild, with the high temperature coming last Wednesday at 88°F.  The lowest maximum was 68° on Saturday.  Lows ranged from 59° on Saturday and Sunday to 65° last Wednesday.

Starting today, however, and continuing on for the next week, we will experience our first typical summer weather with plenty of sunshine, highs of around 90°, and lows in the mid-sixties. In fact, today could be our first 90° day in almost two months.  The last one was on April 7, when the temperature rose to 91°. There is also no rain in the immediate forecast, which is not a bad thing. Farmers can use a few days like this to get their cotton planted and wheat harvested. Ranchers are just happy that there’s water in the stock tanks and the grass is green and growing.

Since the NOAA weather forecast was so accurate for the spring, which they predicted would be wetter than normal, I thought I would take a look at what they are projecting for the next three months, which you can see in the two charts below.  The map on the left shows the precipitation possibilities for June, July, and August; the one on the right shows projected temperatures.  As you can see, they expect west Texas to continue to receive above average precipitation and below average temperatures through August.  We’ll have to see if they’re as good at predicting the next three months as they were for the last three.

(Click image to enlarge.)

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† DEVON REECE FREEMAN

Funeral services are at 10:00am this morning, June 3, at Roscoe Church of Christ for Devon Reece Freeman, 22, who passed away on May 29 in Point Coupee Parish, Louisiana. Interment will follow at Roscoe Cemetery.

Devon was born January 1, 1994, in Abilene. He lived in Nolan County and Roscoe most of his life. He graduated in 2012 from Roscoe Collegiate High School, where he played Roscoe Plowboy football for four years and was regional qualifier in Texas in the pole vault two years and was state qualifier in Florida. After graduation he went to work for the Union Pacific Railroad as a Signalman. Devon was a member of the Roscoe Church of Christ and the Brotherhood of Railroad Signaling. He loved hunting, fishing, tractor pulling, and mud bogging, and most of all he loved children.

Survivors include his parents, Christy and Jason Freeman of Roscoe; brother, Dillon Freeman of Roscoe; sister, Dakota Freeman of Roscoe; maternal grandmother, Sue Smith of Sweetwater; maternal great-grandmother, Willo Dean Ellis of Liberty; paternal grandmother, Linda Freeman of Roscoe; paternal great-grandmother, Elnor Freeman of Roscoe; uncles and aunts, Brian and Jami Smith of Balch Springs, Texas; Jake and Lindsay Freeman of Roscoe, Jerri Freeman of Dallas; Joni Freeman of Sweetwater; nephews and niece, Brody and Jaline Freeman of Roscoe; Brian Smith, Jr., of Balch Springs; and numerous other aunts, uncles, cousins, and family friends.

Devon was preceded in death by his paternal grandfather, Freddy Freeman, on June 6, 2007, and his maternal grandfather, Jimmy Don Smith, on August 2, 2012.

Pallbearers are Riley Teltschik, Juan Solis, Eric Padilla, Ty McGlothlin, Zach Gutierrez, Brett Rodriguez, Gabriel Medellin, and Joe Luis Aguayo.

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† TOBY BRANON NASH

Funeral services will be at 11:00am tomorrow, June 4, at Hillside Christian Church, 6202 Milwaukee Avenue, Lubbock, for Toby Branon Nash, 32, who passed away Friday, May 29.

Toby was born on May 29, 1983, in Sweetwater. On July 28, 2012, he married the love of his life, Erin Pirkle, at the First Baptist Church in Lubbock. He graduated from Roscoe High School in 2001, where he was a standout football player, making first-team all-state as a defensive lineman and all-district as a fullback.  He later earned a bachelor’s degree from Hardin-Simmons University, where he played football for four years. As a high school and later college football player he learned the disciplines of commitment and sacrifice that would carry into serving two tours of duty in Iraq with the Marine Corps. Professionally he served as West Texas Regional Sales Manager for NOVA Medical Centers.

Survivors include his wife, Erin Nash; daughter, Ryan Kate, due in July; mother, Debbie McIntire and husband, Allan; sister, Katie McIntire; brother, Tommy and Betsy Nash; paternal grandmother, Mary Nash; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Phil and Missy Pirkle; niece, Regan Nash; nephew, Jet McIntire; and brother-in-law, Jeff Pirkle; several uncles, aunts, and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his paternal grandfather, Robert Nash.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial donation for daughter Ryan Kate may be made at any Wells Fargo Bank to the Toby Nash Memorial Fund. Condolences may be expressed at Lake Ridge Chapel & Memorial Designers.

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