The Sachse News (Sachse, Tex.), Vol. 7, No. 47, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 15, 2011 Page: 3 of 14
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sachseneujs«com 972-442-5515
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Thursday, December 15,2011
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Two Garland High students die in Hwy. 78 accident
By Judy Truesdell
Staff Writer
news@csmediatexas.com
TVo teenagers were killed,
but the baby in the car survived a
crash in the 1000 block of South
Hwy. 78 at Westgate Way Dec.
9.
According to Wylie Police
Det. Venece Perepiczka, about 9
a.m. Dec. 9, a two-door Honda
driven by Berenice Rodriguez,
17, attempted to turn south on
Hwy. 78 from the Wylie Butane
Mobile Home Park, 1001 S.
Hwy. 78. A black Tundra pickup,
driven by 32-year-old Carlos
Garcia Lopez Jr., and headed
north on Hwy. 78, struck the
Teen found guilty
in '09 beating death
By Jimmy Alford
Staff Writer
jalford @ csmediatexas .com
Seth Dorris' 18th birthday was
Dec. 5. He spent it in the court-
room where he was on trial for the
2009 beating death of 28-year-old
Jonathon Bird.
Only two days later he was
donvicted of manslaughter. And
on the fourth day after he official-
ly became an adult, Seth Dorris
was sentenced to 20 years behind
bars.
Dorris was 15 years old on
Nov. 7, 2(X)9, when he and four
other teens took part in Bird's
beating death. According to tes-
timony in the trial-by-judge case,
Dorris threw the first punch in
the altercation that ultimately left
Bird dead in the street.
Official reports said the five
teens beat Bird with a hammer
and kicked him in the head and
chest. The young men beat Bird
after he yelled at them to slow
down while driving through his
neighborhood.
Collin County Medical Exam-
iner Sheila Spotswood said Bird's
injuries were so severe that they
resembled a pedestrian's injury
after being hit by a vehicle. Bird
had several wounds including
more than one that would have
been fatal, she said.
"The brain had bruises, not any
you would expect from an exter-
nal source, but two large bruises
deep inside." Spotswood said.
"He also had a partial laceration
of the brainstem. Any of those
could have caused lack of con-
sciousness and death."
Spotswood said that either
injury could have caused death
and could have been caused by
the hammer blows and kicking
the victim while he was on the
ground. She said that Bird's inju-
ries took a tremendous amount of
force to create.
Assistant District Attorney
Chris Frederick said there is no
question that Dorris meant to kill
Bird.
"Bird didn't tight back. There
weren't any injuries to his
hands," Frederick said. "Beyond
a reasonable doubt he is guilty."
The prosecutor described
Bird's death as a violent "five-to-
one beat down."
Defense Attorney Matthew
Goeller argued there was plenty
of room for doubt about his cli-
ent's role in the incident. Goeller
Honda.
Berenice was pronounced
dead on the scene.
Her brother. Christian Ro-
driguez, 16, was also in the
car, along with her 14-month-
old baby boy. Christian was
taken to Medical Center of
Piano, but he did not survive.
Although the baby did not
appear to have any injuries,
he was taken first to Medi-
cal Center of Piano, then to
Children's Medical Cen-
ter in Dallas, officials said.
Perepiczka said both teens
were wearing their seatbelts.
Lopez wa s reported to be
physically uninjured.
"The contributing factors
of the motor vehicle accident
are still under investigation,"
Perepiczka said.
All those involved in the ac-
cident are Wylie residents; how-
ever, the Rodriguez brother and
sister were students at Garland
High School, officials said.
G1SD policy allows students
who move during a school term.
to complete the term before
transferring to their new school
district. Seniors may complete
the entire year.
GISD Superintendent for
Communication John Washing-
ton said Berenice was finishing
her senior year and her brother
was an underclassman finishing
the semester.
Seth Dorris
was con-
victed last
week in the
2009 beating
death of
Jonathon
Bird.
said several of the state's wit-
nesses had conflicting testimony
and Bird wasn't some passive by-
stander in the wrong place at the
wrong time.
"You have adults outside
drinking beer, swearing - yell-
ing the f-word - and striking the
pickup," Goeller said. "Seth said
he was struck in the face by Bird."
Dorris' other attorney. Bill
Schultz, said Dorris was just in
for a street brawl and said the real
culprit is Austin Bnimley, who
came into the fight with the ham-
mer. Brumley is one of the five
charged in Bird's death. His trial
is set for January 2012.
Within minutes of the trial's
last remarks and after looking
over Spotswood's autopsy report.
Judge Mark Rusch found Dorris
guilty of manslaughter rather than
the original charge of murder.
Dorris faced a much stiffer
sentence under the first-degree
felony murder charge. Man-
slaughter is a second-degree felo-
ny that can garner two to 20 years
in prison and possible fine not to
exceed $10,000.
Dorris sentencing started
about an hour the judge's verdict
and focuses on several fistfights
and bad behavior of the teen
while in and out of school. This
testimony from several victims
painted a history of unprovoked
attacks.
Dorris' attorney requested pro-
bation as was given to another
teen involved in the beating. San-
di Matijevic.
The fifth teen arrested in connec-
tion with Bird's death, Matijevic
pled guilty to assault with a dead-
ly weapon and spent 18 months
in juvenile detention before being
given probation. He testified in
Dorris' trial.
Dorris has spent the past two
years in jail awaiting trial but was
given the maximum sentence for
manslaughter.
Brumley, Travis Joel Harmon
and Dorris' brother Ethan were
also indicted on capital murder
charges. Ethan Dorris' trial is
scheduled for February 2012 and
Harmon's in March 2012.
Chamber open house
Plto/o by Putty Montagno
The Sachse Chamber of Commerce recently celebrated moving into its new facility by hosting an open house.
The chamber is now located at 5560 Hwy. 78. Visiting with Chamber President Amy Berry, right, were, from left,
Victoria Shaw, .lenna Lawson and Jeanne Jacobs.
Toys go
to area
families,
hospital
continued from page 1A
working together. It brings such
joy to us to be able to put smiles
on these kids' faces. This is truly
a blessing,"
Detective Steve Doerr said
when all the Sachse needy fami-
lies are taken care of, any left-
over toys are donated to children
through the Scottish Rite Hospi-
tal.
Davis said the FOP always
reserves a box or two of toys to
use throughout the year in case a
family loses everything in a fire
or other tragedy.
"Seeing the community giving
for a cause is a very positive,"
Davis said. "I believe that even
with the economic hard times
people want to help one another.
The FOP appreciates everyone in
this very generous community."
The focus of the group is
families with children age 10 or
younger who are in need of toys
or food. To donate toys/food/'
money, or refer a local families
for the program call Davis or
Doerr at 972-495-2271.
m
%
Photo by Patty Montagno
Taking part in the FOP toy drive were, front row from left, Molina Gwin, Emily Munoz.
Victor Mata, Sachse High School teacher Tammy Liehr and Nikki Blalock, back row.
Police Officers Steve Doerr, Chris Holland and Ronnie Davis, SHS students Ben Hem-
lock, Uriel Macias, Denzel Otokunrin, Alec Edwards and SHS teacher Marcy Lane.
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Fisher, Donnita Nesbit. The Sachse News (Sachse, Tex.), Vol. 7, No. 47, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 15, 2011, newspaper, December 15, 2011; Wylie, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth353304/m1/3/: accessed April 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Smith Public Library.