La Porte Police Chief Doug Ditrich was killed in an incident in Sabine County late Sunday morning. Sabine County Sheriff Tom Maddox says it occurred as Ditrich, who was age 50, was doing some land clearing work on property that he owns and a tree fell on top of him. It happened at about 11:00 on Telephone Road in the Milam Community, about 10 miles north of Hemphill. Ditrich was pronounced dead at the scene by Sabine County Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Roger Gay. Meanwhile, the La Porte Police Department has announced that Assistant Chiefs Bennie Boles and Scott Pullig will oversee the department until further notice. Maddox said Ditrich's body was escorted back to his home city by officers from the various entities as it passed through each county.
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La Porte Police Chief Doug Ditrich killed in a Sabine County tree cutting incident
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