Published: May 01, 2007 04:55 pm      

Deputies investigate injuries to local man

Staff Report Parker County Sheriff’s Deputies and crime scene investigators are looking into the circumstances surrounding injuries to Thomas Earl Sample. Sample, a 29-year-old Weatherford man, was found lying, critically injured, along the westbound side of the 2700 block of Fort Worth Highway around 2:30 a.m. Sunday. According to Sheriff’s investigators, Sample was airlifted to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, where he remains in critical condition, comatose from severe head trauma. Investigators believe Samples was intoxicated at the time of the incident. He was last seen near his residence in the 3800 block of Fort Worth Highway. Parker County Sheriff Larry Fowler said Tuesday the incident is under investigation and he is not ruling out any possibilities, including foul play. “If it was an accident of some kind caused by vehicular traffic or some object protruding from a vehicle traveling Fort Worth Highway that night, the driver may not know they injured the man,” a release from the Sheriff’s Office said. “If it was as a result of some affray or assault of some type, it is possible that the extent of the injury was not intended. Either way, now would be the time for persons with possible knowledge of the events to come forward.” Sample, described as brown-haired, 5-foot, 6-inches tall and 180 pounds was wearing a multi-colored long-sleeved shirt, blue jeans, camel boots and an orange Texas Longhorns baseball cap when he was found. Anyone with information regarding the case is encouraged to contact Investigator Paul Gordon or the Criminal Investigation Division of the Sheriff’s Office at (817) 594-8845 or (817) 596-3131.