The Tulia Herald (Tulia, Tex.), Vol. 82, No. 32, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 9, 1990 Page: 3 of 30
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THE TULIA (Swisher County) HERALD
THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 1990
Alert Action By Deputy Benavidez
Leads To Murder Suspect's Arrest
Swisher County welcomes visitors and attempts to make
them feel welcome. But, one visitor undoubtedly wishes he
had steered clear of this county.
Deputy Sheriff Emmett Benavidez claims that luck was
involved in the apprehension of a man wanted in Albuquer-
que, N.M., on an outstanding homicide warrant. However,
fellow lawmen credit alertness on Benavidez' part for the
arrest.
The suspect, who had been at large over a year since the
stabbing death of another man in Albuquerque, was returned
Friday to that New Mexico city by lawmen who flew to Tulia
to pick him up. The murder occurred in July 1989.
Jose Juan Bcmadac Barrientos, 35, was arraigned by Jus-
tice of the Peace Marie Rucker, who set his bond at $ 100,000.
His Miranda rights were read in Spanish by officer Benav-
idez.
During an interview with The Herald, the deputy sheriff
said he was attempting to serve a warrant July 31 on a subject
known to reside in Tulia.
"I ran a tag number on a car and it came back registered tc
the subject I was looking for," Benavidez said.
The officer then drove "about two blocks away" where he
could observe the vehicle without being conspicuous. From
this vantage point, he observed two Hispanic males leave an
apartment and enter the auto.
This prompted the deputy sheriff to pull his patrol car
behind the vehicle. He then asked the driver for identification.
The man produced proof of his recent purchase of the auto
from the subject on whom Benavidez was attempting to serve
the warrant.
This apparently ended the search, but the deputy sheriff s
sixth sense as a peace officer caused him to continue the probe.
•VERY NERVOUS STATE’
"I noticed that the passenger was in a very, very nervous
state," Deputy Sheriff Benavidez said. "I guess this was where
my training paid off.
"I felt he (Barrientos) had something to hide."
This hunch paid off dividends. The Swisher lawman se-
cured the Social Security number and "temporary resident
card: from the man who sat next to the auto's driver. The
resident card confirmed that he was a citizen of Mexico but
that he was in the United States legally.
The numbers were read over the radio to Tulia Police
Department dispatcher Martha Belcher, who "ran a check."
The dispatcher responded to Deputy Sheriff Benavidez that
outstanding warrants existed for Barrientos. She did not state
the offense for which he was wanted.
The suspect was placed under arrest by Benavidez, who
transferred him to the patrol car for delivery to the Swisher
County Jail.
At this time, Deputy Sheriff John Anstcy and Policeman
Tim King arrived. They had been contacted by dispatcher
Belcher, who alerted them of the arrest in progress of the
murder suspect and asked them to back up thcirfcllow officer.
DISPATCHER PRAISED
Deputy Sheriff Benavidez said he would like to publicly
commend the dispatcher for her awareness of the situation and
resulting action. She realized that a statement over the police
radio that Barrientos was wanted for murder could have
prompted cither him or his companion, or both men, to attempt
to overtake the peace officer.
At the same time, she immediately arranged for fellow
officers to rush to the scene should they be needed.
"Martha really takes care of we officers," said the deputy
sheriff. "Our lives often depend on dispatchers," who not only
direct officers to troubled situations but also attempt to moni-
tor them and their safety during these times.
OTHER ARRESTS
This incident was one of six arrests made in recent days by
the sheriffs department. Two were for application to revoke
(one for driving while intoxicated), another was on a Randall
County warrant and the other two involved burglary of a
building and a traffic violation.
DPS troopers arrested one subject on a Hale County war-
rant and one for driving while intoxicated (DWI).
Fourteen inmates were being held Monday in the Swisher
County Jail. Another Swisher inmate—a female—was incar-
cerated in Hockly County (Levclland).
Suggestions Offered To Residents
Of Happy During Line Placement
With work underway on installation of 9,400 feet of water line and
replacement of 27 fire hydrants within the City of Happy, residents are
offered suggestions for the approximate 90-day construction period.
"There will be times during this 90 days that the water will be cut off for
a period of time," advises Mayor R. N. McDonald. "Please have a few gallons
of water on hand for those times when the water will be off."
The mayor continues: "We are sorry for the inconvenience but the water
pressure will be improved and the fire protection will be increased for the
town as a result of the Texas Department of Commerce Community Devel-
opment Grant that the City of Happy has received."
City Secretary Pat Sims invites residents of Happy to "please stop by the
City Hall if you have any questions, want more information or want to sec the
plan map for the project."
Biting Worms . . .
Sam Pangcri now lives in Spokane,
Wash. He used to live in Amarillo. He
was in town a couple of days ago and he
wanted a copy of this column from three
or four years ago about the "Biting
Worms."
Because these writings arc so far
removed from deathless prose I don't
keep copies of them. Sam told the story
of the Biting Worms to his buddies in
Spokane. They didn't believe him. He
said if he could have a copy from this
newspaper he could prove his story.
A game warden of the Texas Parks
and Wildlife Department down in West-
Central Texas was making his rounds.
He found a small Negro boy fishing
along a creek. The boy had caught an
excellent string of sizeable fish. They
were beauties.
The warden asked the boy what he
was using for baiL The boy said he was
using "Biting Worms". The boy had
caught the worms by a hole under a flat
rock. He showed a couple of them to the
warden. They weren’t worms — they
were baby rattlesnakes. They were
about the size of large angleworms.
Already the boy's hands and wrists
were showing some swelling. The war-
den hustled the boy into the car and
rushed him to the doctor at a town close
by. The doctor treated the boy and no
lasting harm came to him. The boy said
the "Biting Worms" all bit him when he
caught them to put them on the hook.
But some didn’t hurt him at all when they
bit. Others stung his hands just a little bit
when they bit him, he said.
There now. I hope that’ll satisfy Sam
Pangeri’s buddies in Washington. And
while he's about it Sam m ight as well tell
the snake story about John Crow, a
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
warden now stationed in Amarillo. John
is near seven feet tall. If he were laid end
to end three times he’d reach nearly to
Bushland. John is agile. He’s nice
people. He's not in the least eccentric.
And he was at the upper end of Lake
Meredith that day in the pursuance of
his duties.
Well sir, a big rattlesnake struck at
John. The fangs of the snake hung in the
General Echols In
Greenbelt Contest
Continued from Page One
ticket office at the Childress stadium
beginning at 6 p.m. on the day of the
game. There will be no served seating,
and scats will be available on a "first-
come, first-serve" basis.
Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for
students.
The West team will be seated on the
south side of Bobcat Stadium. The East
team will be on the north side.
Echols is the son of Patsy and Jay
Johnson. Miss Lacey's parents arc Ron
Lacey of Tulia and Madge Steele of
Colorado.
warden’s trousers. Below his knee. No
snake other than an outsize boa constric-
tor could strike John above the knee —
his legs arc too long. There was that
snake hung in John's pants. The snake
wanted loose and he was writhing and
sillhcring. John wanted to get loose
from the snake and he began to do a
dance that was something to behold.
Another warden saw John through his
binocluars. And that warden said there
arc war dances and rain dances and
snake dances done by the Indians. But
no red man ever performed any dance
with the speed, agility and enthusiasm
that he saw John doing. Without music.
He couldn't shake the snake loose
from is pants. He didn’t want the fangs to
break his skin. So he stuck his leg out
straight toward Dumas and drew his
trusty six-shooter. And he shot the head
off that snake. The warden who was
watching John said he’d seen inexpli-
cable procudures before. But when you
pick up your binoculars and see a seven-
foot game warden dancing alone out in
the wilds it makes you wonder on the
mysteries of life.
— Contributed by Jack Sturman
Focus on Your
College Career at
AMARILLO COLLEGE
at Tulia I.S.D.
PLACEMENT TESTING
6 p.m. Tuesdays, 12:45 p.m. Wednesdays
Amarillo College, Lynn Library
(for students enrolling in English, math, reading
or more than one course)
Registration 7 - 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 16,1990 Tulia High School
Classes start Aug. 27,1990
Late Registration 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 28,1990
Contact Bobby Hudson (806)995-3122
Course Title
Time
Day
Microcomputer Applications
7 - 9:45 p.m.
M
Freshman Composition I
7 - 9:45 p.m.
W
Government of Texas & the U.S.
7 - 9:45 p.m.
M
Supervisory Management
6:30 - 9 p.m.
M
Cooperative Management Training
5:30 - 6:20 p.m.
M
6:30 - 9 p.m.
PAGE THREE
News Briefs
TULE CREEK FARMERS MAR-
KET will open Saturday at 8 a.m. at
6th St. and Highway 1-27.
•
JAMAICA, sponsored by the
Church of the Holy Spirit, will be
Saturday, August 12 from 11 a.m.
until 7 p.m. There will be food, booths,
games, volleyball tournament, a
mini-truck show, and music with live
bands and a DJ.
•
TULIA ATHLETIC BOOSTER
Club will meet Tuesday, Aug. 14 at 8
p.m. in the high school gym. All inter-
ested persons are welcome.
HORSE EVENTS—Jackpot team
roping, barrels and poles competiton
is scheduled for 6 p. m. Aug. 10 at the
roping arena in Earth. Proceeds go to
Lamb County 4-H Horse Club. For
information call 965-2852, 385-4004,
227-2593 or 227-2466.
DIMMITT FESTIVITIES—Har-
vest Days will be held Aug. 16-19 in
DimmitL The celebration will include
the Castro County Fair/Arts & Crafts
show on Aug. 17-18. For more infor-
mation contact the Dimmitt Cham-
ber of Commerce at 647-2524.
WAGGONER CITED WITH STATE AWARD—N. D. (D) Waggoner, dlrec .
tor of electric utilities for the City of Tulia for 23 years, was one of two
persons honored with the Industry Achievement Award, "for signifi-
cant individual contributions to the electric industry and to public
power.” The Texas Public Power Association (TPPA) presented
awards at the 1990 TPPA Annual Meeting Awards Luncheon, held July
17 at the San Antonio Marriott Rlvercenter. Flanking Waggoner are
Mike Williams (left), executive director of the TPPA, headquartered in
Austin, and Ken Reneau (right), TPPA president. Reneau Is the city
manager of Weatherford. —TPPA Photo
SENIOR CITIZENS' Meals on
Wheels is here to serve the people in
this community. If there is somebody
that you know that is 60 or over and
who is in need of a meal, call us at
Senior Citizens, 995-3339.
HUNTER EDUCATION
COURSE—Larry Stewart, hunter
education instructor, will instruct a
course here on Aug. 10-11.
DEFENSIVE DRIVING CLASS
Saturday, August 11
9 a. m.
Memorial Building Basement
Reservations Must Be Made
Call 839-2206
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DOUBLE TICKETS GIVEN AWAY THIS WEEK! if ‘I #
COKES
6 PACK/12 0Z CANS
$1"
LAUNDRY DETERGENT
SUPER SUDS
32 0Z. BOX
$129
HAM EGG AND
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TOWELS
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DOG FOOD
^ 25 lb. bag
$499
laundry DETERGENT
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AUGUST 8 14,1990
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Reynolds, Jim. The Tulia Herald (Tulia, Tex.), Vol. 82, No. 32, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 9, 1990, newspaper, August 9, 1990; Tulia, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth507296/m1/3/: accessed June 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Swisher County Library.