Prisoner injured in disturbance at CCA facility

A prisoner was reported transported Wednesday evening to Palo Pinto General Hospital from the Corrections Corporation of America pre-parole transfer facility with serious injuries, according to the Mineral Wells Fire Department and EMS.

According to a statement released late Thursday by CCA, “at approximately 4:45 p.m. … an inmate was found in the first-floor dayroom of housing unit 756 with injuries consistent with having been assaulted.”

According to statements by the dispatcher at the time, the caller stated that there was “blood everywhere.”

Police also responded to the call but cleared within 15 minutes after speaking with a guard about the problem.

The prisoner was transferred to a Fort Worth hospital where he remains, according to the statement by CCA.

The prison – a privately operated, 2,103-bed, minimum security pre-parole facility which houses male inmates for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice – has been place on lock-down status and inmates are confined to their rooms pending the outcome of an investigation.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice was notified of the incident and “the ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Office of the Inspector General with full cooperation and support from facility staff,” CCA reported.

Over $26,000 seized in traffic stop

A traffic stop for a registration violation Monday evening netted a money laundering arrest, according to the Department of Public Safety.

About 5:45 p.m. Trooper Hank Beverage stopped a 2002 Ford Explorer going westbound on I-20 near Gordon, according to Sergeant Jason Dudley.

After speaking with the occupants of the vehicle, the trooper believed that illegal activity was occurring and obtained consent to search the vehicle, Dudley said.

The trooper found $26,572 in the rear portion the vehicle, according to the report.

Money was reportedly found in a hidden compartment between the floor of the car and the spare tire, according to Dudley.

The driver of the vehicle, Jose Luis Torres, 38, of El Paso, was arrested and charged with money laundering, more than $20,000, less than $100,000, a third-degree felony.

Torres was released Tuesday on $50,000 bond, according to the sheriff’s department.

The other occupants of the vehicle, a male and a female, were not arrested.

Separate one-vehicle rollovers

DPS responded to two one-vehicle rollovers Wednesday in Palo Pinto County. Though the drivers of both vehicles were transported to the hospital, no life threatening injuries were reported.

Around 8:30 a.m. a 2008 GMC pick-up northbound on Farm-to-Market road 4 rolled in front of the Lone Camp Volunteer Fire Department, according to Sgt. Jason Dudley. Joe Tweed Jr, of Palo Pinto, was transported to Palo Pinto General Hospital. Details on the cause of the wreck were unavailable Thursday.

Later Wednesday afternoon, a 2003 Ford passenger van eastbound on 1-20 several miles from the Parker County line rolled, Dudley said. Though the van had five passengers, only the driver, Adrian Valesco Gonzalez, 50, of Kent, Wash., was transported to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. No details were provided on the cause of the wreck.

Drug paraphernalia found

An officer attempting to serve an arrest warrant Wednesday at a local hotel room did not find the individual but ended up writing two tickets for possession of drug paraphernalia for two other individuals, according to police.

Arrests

• Juan Garcia Pachaco, 22, of Weatherford, was arrested Wednesday for driving without a license and insurance, speeding in a school zone, fictitious registration, and expired inspection.

• An 18-year-old female Mineral Wells resident was arrested Wednesday for driving without a license and insurance, an expired license plate and possession of drug paraphernalia.

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