Crashes Lead the Top 10 Read Stories of 2015

Tragedy was the top theme this year in news reports, and crashes ranked the highest read amongst San Angelo LIVE! readers. According to Google Analytics, here are the top 10 headlines that readers flocked to during the year.

#10 Present and Former Central Students Killed in Tuesday Morning Crash

This crash of two pickup trucks killed two individuals from San Angelo Central High School, one a recent grad and the other a senior saxophone player in the band. They were killed in a head-on collision on FM 2288 on Oct. 20.

At the time, a preliminary crash report issued by the the Texas DPS stated that one driver was traveling south on 2288 in his Ford F-150 while the other was headed north on the same road in his Chevy Silverado. The Ford crossed the center stripe and struck the Chevy head on. Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene.

The San Angelo Independent School District issued the following statement regarding the student’s deaths: “It is with great sadness that San Angelo ISD extends deepest sympathy to the families of Noah Whitaker, a senior at Central High School, and Cesar Castillo, a 2015 graduate of Central High School, who lost their lives in a traffic accident earlier today.” More.

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#9 Ambulance Rushes At Least One to Hospital with Emergency Escort after Major Rollover Crash

A major rollover crash at 42^nd and Armstrong with two totaled vehicles rolls in at number nine. One person was ejected from a vehicle while the other one was trapped in a car. Emergency responders had to use the Jaws-of-Life to save the driver.

Witnesses at the scene reported that one car was making a turn onto 42^nd from Armstrong Street while the other car, heading the opposite direction, hit the vehicle head-on at an accelerated speed. More here.

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#8 San Angelo Police Set Up Crime Scene After Child Dies

At #8, on Aug. 3, San Angelo police were called to a residence at River Bend Estates in the 4400 block of River Bend in south San Angelo in relation to an unresponsive child. Shortly after the police arrived on scene, they located the unresponsive child and began life-saving measures. They then transported the child to Shannon Medical Center where he died shortly after. More here.

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#7 Post-Superbowl Shooting Sends One to Hospital

This breaking story, about a shooting Eva’s Place, 1002 Dr. Martin Luther King Blvd, that occurred on Feb. 1 shortly after the Superbowl ended, comes in at #7. The female victim of the shooting was rushed to Shannon Medical Center and stabilized, and officers at the scene of the shooting taped off and investigated the entire 1000 block of MLK Blvd.

On the same night, havoc ensued. A reckless driver was reported in the 2000 block of Smith Blvd. at Houston Harte Expressway. Additionally, a hit and run was reported shortly thereafter in the 500 block of N. Main Street. The police pursued the hit-and-run suspect to the 500 block of Kennedy where the driver was eventually apprehended and taken into custody for the shooting. More here.

#6 Report: Young Mother Left to Die After Drunken Crash

In this high-profile case, Jason Alan Pepperdine became a well-known name after a tragic incident on Dec. 31, 2014. On that day, investigators from DPS showed up at his trailer in Rochelle, Texas and saw his clothes covered in blood. His truck, a white 1999 Dodge 2500, had just been sighted at the town’s Post Office, and while en-route, police learned the vehicle had just been involved in two hit-and-run crashes. As the investigation continued, the body of a young woman, Jaclyn Proctor was found dead and covered in blood in the westbound ditch where the crash happened.

Pepperdine was booked for intoxication manslaughter. He pled guilty to tampering with evidence and was sentenced to 14 years behind bars. Initially, Pepperdine was charged with intoxication manslaughter; however, when Proctor’s body was located, two more charges were added to the bill: failing to render aid in an accident involving death and tampering with or altering physical evidence. Pepperdine was also indicted on the latter of the two in February. At the time of his plea, the intoxication manslaughter charge was pending, but was dismissed, as was the failure to render aid charge as part of the deal. More on Pepperdine and the NYE 2014 crash and trial here.

Here were Pepperdine's last words when heading off to jail on Oct. 14:

#5 Child Drowns in Lake Nasworthy

The tragic drowning of a 2-year-old male at Lake Nasworthy made the charts at #5. Around 9 p.m. on Aug. 7, a child, in his floatie device, drifted out beyond the buoys, about 50 yards off the shoreline and was not seen alive after that.

“The child had been in the water about 50 minutes by the time he was found,” San Angelo Police Dept. Spokesman Cade Solsbery said. “There were no signs of life when the child was found.”

During the search, family members, friends and witnesses were in shock and murmurs and cries could be heard.

Solsbery confirmed at the time that there was no evidence of foul play. More here.

#4 One Dead in "Horrific" Early Morning Head-On Crash on U.S. 87

A February head-on crash ranked #4 in the top headlines. On Valentine's Day, two drivers traveling on U.S. 87 North near the Grape Creek Road intersection collided head on, claiming the life of a 21-year-old San Angelo man. According to officials at the scene, a Red Hyundai Elantra was traveling northbound in the southbound lanes at the same time as a gray Chevrolet Malibu, which caused the collision.

One witness on the scene described it as "horrific." 

Both drivers were trapped inside their vehicles, and emergency responders had to use the Jaws-of-Life to extract them. The driver of the Malibu was pinned against the dashboard and his feet had penetrated the floorboard. Only one single passenger was able to get away from the wreckage unassisted. All of the crash victims, three total, were transported to Shannon Medical Center. More here.

#3 Two Fatalities Confirmed in North San Angelo Crash

This two-car fatality crash on March 14, 2015 comes in at #3. San Angelo Police Sergeant Daniel Williams stated at the scene that the car involved a gold car and blue car, both of which were traveling down Armstrong heading opposite directions when the crash occurred. 

At the scene, San Angelo Fire Department fire fighters had to use the jaws of life, hoses and tools to help extract one driver trapped inside one of the vehicles turned over on its side. Both drivers were killed, one at the scene, and one at Shannon Medical Center. More here. 

#2 Grape Creek Teacher Investigated for Alleged Relationship with Student

An investigation back in February that resulted in a Grape Creek teacher getting suspended due to having a relationship with a student, ranks number two in the top headlines.

Mrs. Lewallen, newly married in 2014, who was in her first-year teaching English III and Advanced Placement English IV at Grape Creek ISD, was placed under investigation on Feb. 12 by the Tom Green County Sheriff's Department. According to the report by TGSO, the principal of Grape Creek High School, Roger Henderson, summoned the investigation of an alleged relationship between Lewallen and a male student. The assistant principal, Carla Barron was concerned about the young woman's mental well-being.

Barron witnessed Lewallen and the teenage male student walking alone into the teacher's classroom, so she decided to "eavesdrop" on the conversation over the intercom. That's when Barron heard Lewallen tell the student she "did not want it to end this way" several times in between sobs. Barron summoned Henderson to listen in on the conversation, and he too worried about what he heard.

When Henderson questioned the student, the teenager broke down crying and admitted to the improper relationship.

Not only was Lewallen newly married, but this was her first job after graduating Angelo State University. More here.

#1 San Angelo Motorcycle Police Officer Killed in Crash on Knickerbocker ​

Sadly, the leading story that placed #1 in the top headlines was the tragic death of Sgt. Korby Kennedy. Sgt. Kennedy's patrol motorcycle was struck by black Nissan Rogue SUV that pulled out in front of the convoy of San Angelo drag boats the officer was escorting to their sponsor parking lot. Sgt. Korby succumbed to his injuries at Shannon Medical Center.  

Sgt. Kennedy was well known in the San Angelo community for his achievements in service. San Angelo was shocked by the Sergeants tragic passing, and to this day, the city mourns his loss. 

This year marked Sgt. Kennedy's 20 years with the San Angelo police department.

But as a reminder, Chief Vasquez stated in the initial report to all San Angelo police officers, “Remember why we do what we do, and to honor Korby by continuing to do our job with professionalism.” More here.