KILGOROUND
LESTER MURRAY

With summer vacation approaching, families will be heading down the road, carefree, enjoying summer vacation.

One Kilgore woman however would like to tell parents not to get to carefree, whether you're staying in Kilgore or are traveling to Disneyland, people should always be aware.

Johnnye Baton was traveling back to Kilgore with her daughter Jody and two granddaughters, Whittany and Brittany. "We stopped in Denton to get gas and grab some lunch," said Johnnye. "While walking to the restaurant at a large travel complex I saw an old van sitting among a group of large trucks."

The van door was open and inside was a pitbull looking very mean and beside the van was a man playing with some head stalls for horses, going from one hand to another, watching us said Johnnye. "I directed my granddaughters away from the van, but something about

the man made the hair stand up on the back of my neck," said Johnnye. "My daughter Jody finished fueling the truck and when she went to park the only space available was next to the man with the van."

When Jody got out of her truck to walk to the restaurant the man approached her, showed her the head stalls and ask her to come over to his van, saying he had some other things for horses to show her. "Jody told him she wasn't interested in anything he had for sale and at that time the man got irritated and grabbed the trucks wheel well and shook it and told Jody he hoped she got in a wreck on the way home," said Johnnye.

After getting to the restaurant Johnnye said Jody told her about the incident and they decided to call the police and see if they would check the man out. "The van had a wheel chair attached to the back of the van, but no license plates were visible," said Johnnye. "I called Denton police and asked them to come out and check things out, but they did not respond."

Johnnye said while they were watching the van, the man called a boy over to the van's window and after a short conversation the boy shook his head no and walked away. "I asked the manager of the restaurant to check the man out before we had to go back to our vehicle which was parked beside the van," said Johnnye. "The manager agreed and when the man saw us approaching the van he drove off."

I called the police several times and they took a description but never came out to the truck stop and we had to leave, said Johnnye. "I just assumed the police were too busy to deal with calls like this, but in a couple of days I received a call from the Denton Police Department, asking if I was the person that had reported the man with the van," said Johnnye. "A detective told me, based on the description I had given the vehicle was located at another hotel and when police checked him out the man was wanted out of California," said Johnnye. "The detective said the man had an extensive criminal record and was a parole violator in California."

Thanks to her call this man was going to be extradited back to California. "I don't know exactly what this man was arrested for or his criminal record, but I am telling this story so parents, or anyone traveling alone, might not be taken in by someone like him and have something happen to them," said Johnnye. "I want families to enjoy their summer off, but look out for the kids, because you never know who is standing around the next corner. Don't be afraid to call the police and report suspicious activity."

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Blowing out the birthday candles today are Mrs. Jack Cecil, Scott Hamnett, Mrs. Vernon Pegues, Gary Boyd, Hubert Pollick, Mart Gordon, James Earl Nolan Jr., Howard Shipp, Arthur B. Custer, Chrystal Bynum, Julia Springs, Denise Lenz, Patricia Hobbs, Ester Close, Kaden Downing.

Celebrating anouther year together today are Kent and Cynthia Jones, Mr. and Mrs. Randy Shelburne Jr.