Former Hopkins County Fire Chief Carl Nix, wanted on a theft charge, turned himself in to Delta County Sheriff's officers this morning, according to KETR’s Cindy Roller. Nix was the subject of a third-degree felony theft warrant from Hopkins County.
Nix was arraigned later on Friday. Eighth Judicial District Judge Eddie Northcutt set Nix’s bond at $10,000. Nix was released after posting the bond, according to Delta County Sheriff Ricky Smith.
The Sulphur Springs News-Telegram reports that Texas Rangers filed charges against Nix following an investigation into discrepancies in fuel purchase records.
“During our transition process, we came across discrepancies in expenditures,” Hopkins County Judge Chris Brown told the News-Telegram. “We asked Texas Ranger John Vance to look into some of these things. He launched an investigation and this is the culmination of that investigation.”
The alleged theft involved unauthorized fuel purchases over a period of years of more than $1,500 but less than $20,000.
Nix began as a part-time Hopkins County firefighter in Oct. 1999 and was promoted in 2004 to County Fire Chief. Nix also served as the county's emergency management coordinator..
Nix was a firefighter for the Grapevine Fire Department for the past 28 years and remains a battalion chief in that department, where chief administration officials had no comment on his legal problems when asked by Sulphur Springs News-Telegram staff.
Nix is expected to appear in district court in Hopkins County within the next 10 days to answer to the felony theft charges.
