Date: Friday, January 3, 2014, 21:25

Location: 8202 South Padre Island Drive

Offense: Warrant of Arrest (Code of Criminal Procedure Section 15.01)

Case Number: 1401030160

Corpus Christi Police arrested two people for murder warrants, two people for evading arrest, and recovered a stolen vehicle at the 8200 block of South Padre Island Drive Friday night.

The Comal County Sheriff’s Office contacted the Corpus Christi Police Department to search the area of South Padre Island Drive and Paul Jones for a murder suspect that may be in a stolen white Lexus sedan. The murder investigated by the Comal County Sheriff’s Office happened January 1, 2014. A Corpus Christi Police Officer saw a white Lexus sedan in the area of a hotel located at 8202 South Padre Island Drive. The Officer followed the Lexus and learned it was the same vehicle sought by the Comal County Sheriff’s Office. The Officer initiated a traffic stop, but the vehicle accelerated from the Officer until it stopped at the 1200 block of Preston Drive. Two men ran from the Lexus after it stopped. Corpus Christi Police Officers chased, and apprehended the two men which were 35-year-old Marty Forehand (10/30/1978) and 18-year-old Daniel Smith (10/6/1995). Forehand was arrested for unauthorized use of a vehicle and Smith was arrested for evading arrest. Corpus Christi Police Officers learned that Forehand and Smith were not wanted in relation to the homicide in Comal County. The Lexus was taken to the city impound.

Corpus Christi Police Officers went back to 8202 South Padre Island Drive in an effort to locate the murder suspect and saw a Ford F-250 leave the parking lot. Officers stopped the truck and a man and woman jumped out and ran from the truck. Another man and woman remained in the truck and were detained by Officers. Other Officers chased and captured the woman, 19-year-old Skyler Burghart (8/9/1995) and discovered Burghart was wanted in relation to the murder in Comal County. Officers set up a perimeter and used the Patrol K9 and the Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter to search for the man who ran from the truck. After a short time, Officers found 18-year-old Austin Byrum (9/12/1994) who was also wanted in relation to the murder in Comal County.

The 19-year-old man, the 18-year-old woman, and the 9 month old child who remained in the truck when Burghart and Byrum ran, were released with no criminal charges. The truck was taken to the city impound lot. Corpus Christi Police are not searching for any other person related to this event.

Officers delivered Forehand, Smith, Burghart, and Byrum to the city detention center.

On Saturday, January 4, 2014, a total of 109 cars, trucks, and motorcycles will be auctioned at the Corpus Christi Police Department Vehicle Impound Lot located at 5485 Greenwood Drive during our monthly auction. The site has four paved acres for an auction lot. 

Approximately 39 of these vehicles are “No Insurance” impounds. On Friday, January 3, 2014, the general public will be allowed to register and view the vehicles to be auctioned from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. There is no registration fee. 

On the day of the auction, the general public can continue to register and view the vehicles from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. The auction will commence promptly at 10:00 a.m. on January 5, 2014.   The vehicles to be auctioned can be viewed at www.siskauction.com. An auction list may also be downloaded from the same website. 

The department’s strong stand and enforcement of this “Zero Tolerance No Insurance Initiative” will continue and all vehicles involved in accidents will be impounded and the driver cited if they are unable to provide financial proof of insurance. Driver’s license and proof of financial responsibility checkpoints will continue to be conducted at the Shift Captains’ authorization. 

During December 2013, Officers issued 439 citations for Failure to Maintain Financial Responsibility and impounded 76 vehicles for the same charge.  In 2013, a total of 7,114 citations for Failure to Maintain Financial Responsibility were issued and 1,036 vehicles were impounded for the same charge.

Corpus Christi Animal Care Services & Vector Control (CCAC) is seeking a new logo for the New Year and announces the logo design contest to begin January 1^st and end February 1^st. 

CCACS has evolved over the past year and has dedicated itself to a new mission and philosophy that encompass all the services and programs we provide to the Corpus Christi community. CCACS hopes to find a new logo that will further demonstrate our commitment to excellence and to the community we serve.

The current logo has not been updated for many years and is ready for a face lift. The Department is looking for a modern, professional design that will reflect the Department’s new mission and vision statements. The new logo will be used on everything from a large sign at the Animal Shelter to staff uniforms and the Department website.

Beginning January 1st, the Department will be accepting submissions from the public for its new logo. The contest is open to amateurs and professionals alike. The logo should help to articulate the mission and vision of CCACS, which is:

Our Vision is to create and preserve a safe community through education, enforcement and leadership.

The Mission of the Corpus Christi Animal Care Services & Vector Control is to balance the health, safety and welfare needs of the people and animals in our City. Through our mission we will educate the public about responsible companion animal ownership, aggressively investigate animal cruelty cases, provide compassion and humane care for unwanted, stray, abused, and abandoned animals in our City, and give adoptable animals a second chance at a forever home.

The designer of the winning entry will receive a plaque and recognition on signage inside the Animal Shelter, located at 2626 Holly Rd. Corpus Christi, Texas 78415. The winning designer will be announced in local media releases, and on the Department’s website.

To submit your design, please email an electronic entry to the program director at heatherhe@cctexas.com or go to the Corpus Christi Animal Care Services website for additional information. Entry deadline is February 1^st.

Wouldn’t you want to be helped if you were in need??
If yes, then let’s pay it forward and REACH FOR THE STARRS!!

Join us in lending a helping hand to Ken and Karen Starrs whose house burned down in January of this year.

Karen was seriously burned when she reentered the house in order to rescue their two cats.  Both cats and dogs made it out alive; unfortunately, their beloved bird did not.

Ken and Karen both joined the City of Corpus Christi Police Department in August of 1977.  Captain Starrs retired in January 2004 and Karen, a Crime Prevention Specialist retired in January 2003.

Denny Bales, owner of Denny Bales Diamonds is donating an 18k White Gold custom-made Ladies’ Ring featuring 4.3 Carats in Pave set diamonds with a retail value of $11,200.

This ring can be yours by participating in the fundraising raffle benefitting Ken and Karen Starrs.  The ring will be raffled on Friday, December 20th at 4:00pm.  Our objective is to sell 1000 tickets at $25 for each ticket.  Whenever possible, we would like to sell the tickets in blocks of 10 and as a thank you, you will receive two free raffle tickets.

Tickets may be purchased at Denny Bales Diamonds, 7009 S. Staples Street (361-371-2975) and the Gulf Coast Humane Society, 3118 Cabaniss Parkway (361-225-0845) until Thursday, December 19th at 4:00pm.