Police, Emergency Services Stay Busy Tuesday Evening

Law enforcement and emergency services were busy Tuesday evening and night at multiple locations.

The Department of Public Safety hunted for the driver of a car that hit a motorcycle and left the scene without rendering aid about 6:20 p.m.

West Tawakoni Police Officer Ash Harmon said a West Tawakoni man and his son were injured when his motorcycle was hit from the side by a car that left the scene.

The motorcycle was traveling east on State Highway 276 when a car "t-boned" it from the side , Harmon said when it pulled from the driveway of Shotgun’s Tattoos.

Harmon said the Department of Public Safety would investigate and had a suspect’s name.

The driver of the motorcycle was flown by helicopter to Parkland Hospital in Dallas. His son was taken by ambulance to Hunt Regional Medical Center of Greenville.

Harmon said the father had just picked up his son from football practice when the accident occurred. He said the cycle never went down, and despite massive leg injuries, the driver drove it to a house further down the road on SH 276.

Later Tuesday evening, West Tawakoni Police Chief Jack Schultz said officers were called to a disturbance at an address on Geneva Street.

"We got the gun but lost the man," Schultz summed up the event.

He said when the first officer arrived, he saw the suspect outside run between cars, then saw him drop something or pick up something and later lost him in the dark. "It was pretty much a waiting game after that," he said.

The police chief said one of his officers and a deputy sheriff walked the perimeter of the area and found a handgun at the rear fence.

Schultz said help was requested from the Hunt County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Randy Meeks and his tactical unit responded.

Schultz said officers entered the house and found it clear, then noticed a broken window at the house next door. However, he said they entered and cleared that house as well.

Schultz quoted the father of the suspect as saying, "All of a sudden, he had a gun in his hand and said you ruined my life." He said neighbors then called for help.

One of the neighbors at the scene told The News that she had made the call to 911 after the disturbance began.

The police chief said conflicting reports had been made that the suspect "fired off a round." He said the shot had not been confirmed, however, he said when the gun was found it was "cocked and locked and had one in the chamber."

Medical units of the West Tawakoni Volunteer Fire Department and an AMR ambulance were called to the area on standby.

The units were then deployed to the scene when officers reported that the suspect’s father had fallen from the porch. He was taken by ambulance to Hunt Regional Medical Center of Greenville.

"We’re extremely grateful for the help of the Hunt County Sheriff’s Office," Schultz said.

While on standby near the scene, another medical call was received by the West Tawakoni Volunteer Fire Department. One of the units went to that scene in Walnut Cove.

Emergency personnel including the West Tawakoni Volunteer Fire Department were called to a Walnut Cove address about 11 p.m. A medical helicopter was called. One ambulance was already on duty at the earlier scene and answered the Walnut Cove call. A second ambulance was ordered to take its place at the standby scene.

Arrangements were made for the helicopter to land at Tawakoni Golf Course, however because of the unknown nature of the police scene underway on Geneva Street, the ambulance with the Walnut Cove patient was redirected to the open field west of Dollar General where a second area was made ready for the helicopter to land.