Crime Rates Remain Low Friday, Few Major Accidents Reported

Crime rates dropped with the temperature Friday, as Tom Green County Jail saw only a slight increase of seven inmates in 24 hours. The majority of the arrests were alcohol related, including one DWI, one Public Intoxication and one Open Container in a Vehicle charge. Also among those arrested were imates charged with assault, cruelty to animals and two thefts.

With a thick layer and of ice coating most city streets and alerts and warnings flooding through media sources, drivers remained cautious on Friday morning, driving slowly  and averting problem areas.

The majority of the morning’s traffic-related calls for service were not for crashes but for assistance, as motorists slid out or lost traction on some of the roads. According to the SAPD calls for service log, the police received a total of 20 calls for assistance between midnight and 11:30 a.m., and an additional 13 reports of motor vehicle accidents.

When the ice began to thaw and the sun came out, the trend switched and accidents began to rise as motorists began to feel more comfortable in the sunshine.

In 24 hours, 26 motor vehicle accidents were reported, along with 21 calls for assistance. Among these were a couple of serious accidents, including a multi-vehicle wreck on Loop 306 at around 3:30 p.m., and several smaller accidents throughout the evening and night.

Shortly after sunset, at around 6:15 p.m., two accidents occurred within minutes of each other at Avenue N and Rosemont St.  The first crash happened when the driver of a blue GMC Envoy collided with a tree. The driver had been driving in the inside lane heading east when he attempted to switch into the outside land. He then hit a patch of ice and lost control, colliding with the tree and destroying his front end.

The driver was not injured in the accident. The second wreck occurred right after, a minor fender-bender that resulted from punching the brakes at sight of the officer pulling in for the first crash. Ice was again a factor and nobody was injured.

At around 10:30 p.m., a major motor vehicle accident took place at Twin Lakes Lane and Dove Creek Lane. Police on scene said that a male had been driving with his father and brotherat accelerated speed when he hit a patch of ice and lost control.

The vehicle, a Chevy S-10, rolled into a telephone line, taking it out in the crash. Ambulances were dispatched to the scene and the passengers were transported to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

For the reast of the night, the scanner stayed silent and only minor activity was reflected in the calls. There were a total of seven theft/burglary calls on Friday, the lowest number of the week.