Published: July 17, 2008 03:15 am         

Man charged in Tuesday hit and run

A 59-year-old East Texas man remained in the Anderson County Jail Wednesday after being arrested the previous day for allegedly fleeing the scene of a motor vehicle accident on Texas 155 between Palestine and Frankston.

William Cruson, 59, of Flint was being held at the jail Wednesday night in lieu of bonds totaling $3,500 set by Anderson County Justice of the Peace James Westley on the charges of failure to stop and render aid and driving while intoxicated, according to Anderson County Sheriff Greg Taylor.

Cruson was arrested a short time after he allegedly struck a 1998 Mercury Tracer driven by Dunia Lemus, 41, of Palestine at 6:20 p.m. Tuesday, approximately 4.8 miles south of Frankston on Texas 155, according to Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Damian Conner.

Cruson was the lone occupant in his 2005 Chevrolet pickup, while Lemus’ vehicle also was occupied by a 45-year-old man and an 8-year-old boy, the trooper said. All three occupants in Cruson’s vehicle were transported to Palestine Regional Medical Center for minor injuries, but later released, Conner added.

Cruson was uninjured, according to authorities.

Based on preliminary investigation, Cruson was parked on the northbound shoulder of Texas 155 “and pulled out into the highway into the southbound lane in an attempt to travel southbound when he was struck by the Mercury drive by Miss Lemus,” Conner said Wednesday afternoon.

“At that time, Miss Lemus’ vehicle went into the southbound ditch and Mr. Cruson left the scene,” the trooper stated.

As of late Wednesday afternoon, Conner said he remained uncertain whether Cruson’s vehicle was initially pointed in a northbound or southbound direction when he left the northbound shoulder in an attempt to travel southbound.

Moments after the accident, Jay Russell, a sergeant investigator with the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, stopped Cruson’s vehicle a short distance from the scene of the accident on Texas 155, according to the trooper.

“Officer Russell just happened to be in the area,” Conner said.

Conner subsequently responded to that location and arrested Cruson on the pair of charges.

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Paul Stone may be contacted via e-mail at pstone@palestineherald.com

     

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