The Lewisville Police Department has tapped Detective B. Shelton as its April employee of the month after his painstaking work helped unmask a driver in a fatal hit-and-run, turning grainy surveillance into a full-blown arrest warrant.
Investigators say Shelton spent hours combing through video, following a distant box truck from camera to camera until he connected it to the suspect vehicle. All the while, he kept the victim’s family in the loop and managed his other cases, according to the department.
How the investigation unfolded
In a post from the Lewisville Police Department, officials say Shelton first spotted a barely visible box truck in surveillance footage, then methodically followed it across multiple cameras until it was tied to the suspect vehicle. The department said Shelton “exemplifies the highest standards of the profession” and noted he had received numerous nominations before being chosen for the monthly honor.
Crash and scene
The crash happened on March 14 on the northbound I-35E frontage road near the Sam Rayburn Tollway, where officers found a person unresponsive on the service road. Investigators recovered vehicle debris at the scene and shut down lanes so they could collect evidence, as reported by DFW Scanner.
Arrest and charges
Police say that by tracing the suspect vehicle through surveillance, investigators ultimately identified a suspect who turned himself in to the Denton County Jail on April 14. Local reporting names the suspect as Jostin Paul Low and states he was charged with a collision involving death and later posted bond, according to AOL. Lewisville detectives say the investigation is still active while prosecutors review the case.
Department praise and family contact
LPD describes Shelton as one of its longest-serving investigators and credits his casework as well as his steady communication with the victim’s family, according to the department post. Officials say the detailed surveillance review, including tracking the box truck from one camera to the next, helped secure the warrant that led to the suspect’s custody.
What happens next
Officials have not announced a court date. Prosecutors in Denton County will decide on any formal filings after they review the investigation, media reports say. The surveillance evidence and the warrant that followed will be among the materials the district attorney’s office considers, according to AOL.
