Marble Falls Police Department

The Marble Falls Police Department (MFPD) will welcome the community to the Grand Opening of the Marble Falls Public Safety Facility at 606 Avenue N on Tuesday, Nov. 14.

“We will begin to greet people at noon,” said police chief Mark Whitacre. “After a brief ceremony, there will be an open house until 3:30 p.m. for the general public to see the new faciltiy for our department and for Marble Falls Municipal Court.

“We are excited and there is a flurry of people right now, working for the final inspection of the elevator, implementing the new communications system and phone system. Patrol offices will have to be moved and records.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

National Night Out (NNO) will be celebrated in Marble Falls and Granite Shoals on Tuesday, Oct. 3.

The annual community-building campaign promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live.

Locally that national goal is taken up a notch with other first responders taking part in the night of family fun.

The Marble Falls Police Department (MFPD) will conduct their event from 5-7 p.m. on the 200 block of Main Street where the police station is located.

Vendors and sidewalk sales will be found on the street, but also free food, music, bounce houses for kids and more. It is a chance families and neighbors to visit with first responders in a casual setting.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Traffic was diverted from US 281,  north and south of Ninth Street, beginning around 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 27, after a Future Telcomm crew breached a six-inch gas line in front of Burger King construction.

The break was severe enough that gas could be seen bubbling up through a puddle on the street corner and the sent of the gas odorant filled the air for a block around the site.
Marble Falls Fire Marshal Tommy Crane and Fire Chief Russell Sander were on the scene as workmen and emergency personnel cordoned off the site and cleared the area for workers from ATMOS Energy to begin repairs. Officers from the Marble Falls Police Department put up barricades and began directing traffic that included large over-size equipment loads into city street detours.
Emergency notifications began to ring through on city phone lines and cell phone and email notices went out that repairs could take up to two hours.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Before the city council meeting Tuesday, Sept. 5, one of the new patrol vehicles that had arrived at the Marble Falls Police Department (MFPD) was capturing the attention of those arriving.

The City of Marble Falls Police Department has taken delivery of four new Ford Explorer Police Interceptors.

The Interceptors, the law enforcement model of an Explorer, replaced older Ford Crown Victoria Interceptor sedans that had logged more than 100,000 miles each. They were purchased through the Houston-Galveston Area Council of Governments (HGAC) buy board at a substantial discount.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

The Marble Falls Police Department (MFPD) has released the identity of the driver who died in the Aug. 31, four-car crash in the 1900 Block of Ranch to Market Road 1431.

Capt. Tom Dillard, who was part of the team investigating the rush hour accident, said Alonso Castaneda Vazquez Jr., 39, of Colorado City was the driver of the 2017 Honda Civic stolen in June in Dallas.

“He rear-ended a truck and, we assume, he didn't want to stay on the scene in a stolen car and did a U-turn into oncoming traffic,” explained Capt. Glenn Hanson, MFPD public information officer.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

The driver of a car stolen in Dallas died in a four-car crash he caused at 4:39 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 31, on Ranch to Market Road 1431 in Marble Falls.

Clearing a four-car crash on the major east-west thoroughfare at rush hour led to 15-45-minute traffic jams on every alternate route—all exacerbated by lines of cars at fuel stops responding to rumors of a gas shortage Thursday.

“The 2017 four-door sedan was stolen in June,” said Capt. Glenn Hanson of the Marble Falls Police Department (MFPD). “He rear-ended a truck and, we assume, he didn't want to stay on the scene and did a U-turn into oncoming traffic.

“Four vehicles were involved and someone was injured in each vehicle. One seriously-injured woman was transported to Dell-Seton Hospital, I understand.”

By Glynis Crawford Smith

and Lew K. Cohn

The Highlander

A 36-year-old man was struck and killed Sunday night, July 30, on US 281 in Marble Falls.

Jerrod Bradford Young was walking alone down the middle of the inside, southbound lane in the 3300 block of US 281, when he was struck by a Chevy Tahoe, according to Marble Falls Police Capt. Glenn Hanson.

The call came in to the Marble Falls Police Department at 10:53 p.m. but, after the Marble Falls Area Emergency Medical Service arrived, Young was declared dead at the scene.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

“I've been poisoned! Who? Why?”

So reads a sign posted by a critically ill Live Oak tree in front of Blair's Western Wear at 2501 US 281 in Marble Falls.

In mid-June the tree was encircled at its base with what police are calling a “toxic substance” and they hope a tip from the public can solve the crime of who has poisoned the tree.

The leaves are beginning to turn brown and the prognosis is not good for survival of the arboreal patient. Since the tree is only about five inches in diameter, it may no sound like much of a loss, but it is.

“The estimated value of replacing the tree is $25,000,” said Marble Falls Police Capt. B.J. Nelson. “The tree itself is worth $10-$15,000, but there will be a site clean-up for the toxic substance.

“The charge is criminal mischief. We welcome information about the perpetrators.”

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

The Marble Falls Police Department (MFPD) will be moving to the cutting edge of technology in body cameras thanks to a donation from local citizen Robert Ruff.

At the meeting of the Marble Falls City Council Feb. 21, the formal approval of a $50,000 donation was passed with Mayor John Packer's thanks to Ruff. With the donation, budgeted money for the year and other funds designated for equipment, the MFPD should deploy the new $127,683 system before the year is out.

“We are no strangers to audio/video recording in Burnet County,” said Detective Sgt. Tom Dillard. “We have used in-car cameras since the mid-1990s.”

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Two people arrested with documents that point to identity theft in Texas and states beyond remained in Burnet County Jail Thursday, Feb. 2.

The Marble Falls Police Department (MFPD) have been investigating more than two weeks a case in which Shayne Thomas Negri, 27, of Burnet and Stella Marie Hernandez, 37, of Kingsland were arrested Friday, Jan. 27.

“The management of Hill Country Express contacted us Jan. 13, after people left without paying,” said MFPD Detective Sgt. Trisha Ratliff. “When they went to clean out the room they found what appeared to be drug paraphernalia and wanted it removed safely.

“We did locate paraphernalia along with information identifying multiple victims of identity theft such as ID and credit cards, other forms of ID, personal mail and any number of different documents. They ranged to multiple states.”