Two alleged hit-and-run drivers can’t hide from officers [Cleburne Times-Review, Texas]

Aug. 31--Cleburne police caught up with two drivers allegedly involved in hit-and-run accidents.

The first occurred about 6 p.m. Aug. 23 in the 100 block of East Wilson Street. The driver of an Acura TL fled the scene after striking a phone pole while turning from North Main Street onto East Wilson Street. Police located the driver a short time later and cited him for unsafe left turn and no insurance. He was not hurt in the accident.

Police responded Aug. 24 to a hit-and-run involving two vehicles on Boone Street.

The driver of a Mercury Mountaineer slowed to cross railroad tracks and was rear ended by the driver of a Chevrolet CK 1500, who then fled the scene.

The Mercury driver and one passenger suffered minor injuries and were transported to Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Cleburne.

Police located the Chevrolet driver -- Andres Perez, 41, of Cleburne -- a short time later. Perez suffered no injury in the wreck, but he was arrested on a charge of failure to stop and render aid.

Police arrested another man Aug. 24 on a hit-and-run-related incident.

An officer responded to the 1400 block of Phillips Street at 7:10 a.m. in reference to the accident.

After inspecting the damage, the officer determined that the accident could not have occurred where it was reported to have happened.

The vehicle owner -- Luis Alfonso Hernandez, 23, of Cleburne -- initially said he heard someone strike the car about 6 a.m. But, when confronted by the officer, Hernandez admitted to having made a false statement. Hernandez then continued to make false statements about where the accident occurred, police reports allege.

The officer arrested him on a charge of false report to a peace officer.

Police responded to the 600 block of Chase Avenue at 5:35 p.m. the same day on a disturbance call. Jose Luis Sifuentes, 31, of Cleburne allegedly threatened a neighbor with a club and a BB gun. Police arrested Sifuentes on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon.

Police later learned that Sifuentes is in the country illegally and placed an INS hold on him.

Firefighters deliver

safety tips

A report of smoke in a residence summoned Cleburne firefighters to the 1600 block of Chaucer Drive on Aug. 24. The homeowner told firefighters she saw and smelled smoke. Investigation uncovered two potted plants as the source. Cigarette butts put out in the pots had ignited the potting materials and dried plants. Firefighters removed the pots from the garage and doused them with a garden hose. They advised the woman not to use potted plants for ashtrays and cleared the scene.

Firefighters responded to a cooking fire the same day at an apartment building on the 1300 block of East Kilpatrick Street. They arrived to find a woman and her boyfriend on the upstairs exterior balcony cooking with a charcoal grill.

Firefighters warned the woman of the illegality and safety hazards of using an outdoor grill in such a way. They carried the grill downstairs where the woman wetted the coals with water. Firefighters gave the woman a verbal warning and cleared the scene.

Firefighters responded to a small grass fire in the 2400 block of Country Club Road on Thursday.

A man driving a riding mower told firefighters a small grass fire occurred, which he extinguished. As he continued to mow, a second fire sprang up, which firefighters hosed down with about 200 gallons of water.

Firefighters looked the mower over and determined it to be in safe, working order. Firefighters said they believe the mower blade may have struck a rock and sparked, igniting the fires.

None of the occupants of a boat that sank near the Lake Pat Cleburne bridge Thursday suffered injury.

Firefighters arrived to find the boat resting on the lake bottom in about two feet of water about 10 feet from the shore. The boat malfunctioned and began pumping water into itself, the owner said.

Firefighters gave the man a five-gallon bucket to bail the craft out then towed the boat and the occupants back to the dock.

A Thursday rollover accident resulted in no injuries. The accident occurred about 7:03 a.m. in the 2000 block of South Main Street. The driver told firefighters he swerved to avoid hitting another vehicle that had stopped in the road. The driver suffered no injuries in the accident.

Theft and damage calls

Someone stole a York external AC unit from a home in the 100 block of Boone Street on Aug. 23.

Police responded to a burglary call at a home in the 700 block of East Willingham Street at 8:13 a.m. Thursday. Someone broke the lock on the home's back door but did not enter or remove anything.

Homeowners in the 1500 block of Spring Branch Drive were not so fortunate. Someone stole a computer, a TV, bicycles and whiskey from the home on Thursday. The homeowner told police he suspects a family member.

Police responded to the 400 block of West Wilson Street at 2:07 a.m. Aug. 23 on a vandalism call. Someone carved words into the hood and side panel of a 2000 Jeep Cherokee.

Police responded to a second vandalism call on Aug. 24, this one in the 1300 block of West Henderson Street. Someone damaged an outside video surveillance camera at Cleburne Thrift Store.

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