News Release

Date:

November 11, 2006

Incident Type:

Major Accident/Fatality

Date / Time of Occurrence:

November 11, 2006 @ approx. 3:16 am

Location of Occurrence:

9700 Block of South Masters @ the Chocolate Bayou tributary bridge

Victim(s):

Ricky Melvin James, a 47-yr old Houston man

Suspect:          

n/a

Charges and Bail:

Narrative of Incident:

An officer of the Manvel Police Department received a radio call of debris on the roadway in the 9700 block of South Masters. Upon arrival, he found that the bridge over the Chocolate Bayou tributary had been damaged.  Upon investigating the damage, he found a 1999 Dodge Dakota that was upside down in the water near the bridge. Members of the Manvel Volunteer Fire Dept. soon responded and After two of their members went into the water, they discovered the victim, trapped in his truck.

A wrecker from the Manvel Paint and Body soon arrived and lifted the front of the truck, allowing the Fire Dept. personnel to determine that there was only one victim in the vehicle.

Judge Starkenberg, Justice of the Peace of Brazoria County Pct. 3-2 arrived and pronounced Ricky Melvin James deceased and ordered his removal to the Galveston County Medical Examiner’s office for an autopsy to be performed.

A heavy-duty wrecker was summoned to remove the truck from the water, at which time the victim was removed from the truck. He was found to be a 47-year old Houston resident.

Press Release prepared by:

Sgt. Jay Coffman (jcoffman@manvelpd.org)

Manvel Police Department Case Number:

0611017A