Missing Polka Musician

[Antec]

I doubt most of yall know this person

But accordion player Bobby Jones from Wharton is missing

He is well known over the Sou8th Texas area with his style of polka music

He has his own radio shows on the station in El Campo and has been playing over 25 years.

He was a no show for his Saturday morning show on KULP in El Campo

He also missed this band's gig in Ganado on Saturday night and Sealy today

The Wharton County Sheriffs department is looking for him.

Again i know yall are not familiar with this person but he has friends and fams all around South Texas

Hopefully he will be found

He graduated from Boling in 1978

[luvhoops34]

I've polka'a my butt all over South Texas. :D Maybe he's just sleeping off a drunk somewhere. Keep us posted.

[Gobbla2001]

isn't it on AM? 1340 or somewhere around there? I'd pick it up at work sometimes...

[44INAROW]

Here's the article

El Campo polka DJ is missing
June 25, 2007 - Posted at 12:00 a.m.
BY BARRY HALVORSON - VICTORIA ADVOCATE
EL CAMPO - The Wharton County Sheriff's department is asking for the public's help to determine where local radio celebrity Bobby Jones might be located.

Sheriff's Lt. Daniel Marek said that Jones, 48, of El Campo, has been missing since at least early Saturday morning and possibly Friday night. Marek said Jones is the morning disc jockey at KLUP-AM Radio in El Campo and also a member of the popular Bobby Jones Czech Band.

"He didn't show up for work for his Saturday morning polka show," Marek said. "But the station covered for him. When they didn't hear from him later in the day, they contacted the sheriff's department."

On its schedule, the Web site bobbyjonesband.com listed a performance Sunday afternoon at the Sealy Knights of Columbus Hall. Marek said that, to the best of his knowledge, the band showed up, but without Jones. Someone answering the phone at the hall also said that the band played, but that Jones was not with them. He would not give his name.

Investigators have visited Jones' home along Wharton County Road 167. Marek said that the home, where Jones lives alone, was secure and that Jones' car was missing. The auto is described as a 1993 Chevrolet Cavalier, red in color, with license plate Texas F37-YHR.

"This is a missing person/welfare case and there is no suspected foul play," Marek said. "The disappearance is still under investigation. Anyone with information or who has seen Jones since Friday night is asked to contact the Wharton Sheriff's Office at 979-532-1550."

[Antec]

Still no word

[44INAROW]

(12:36 p.m.) License plate to missing polka DJ's car found near river
victoriaadvocate.com
EL CAMPO – A license plate belonging to the car identified as belonging to missing KULP-AM disc jockey Bobby Jones has been found along the banks of the Colorado River.
“It was located at 4 a.m. in the area of the path (of knocked down grass by Los Cucos Restaurant) leading into the river,” Wharton Police Detective Sgt. Ben Evans said. “It was found by Police Sgt. Justin Moran.” Evans said members of the department have been periodically searching the bank of the river.

Wharton County Sheriff’s Lt. Daniel Marek said during a joint Thursday morning phone interview that boats are on the water seeking any additional evidence.

“It appears the license plate came off as the car went down the embankment,” Marek said. “But we have not recovered the car or Jones.”

In addition to the police department and sheriff’s office, the Department of Public Safety, Lower Colorado River Authority personnel and Texas game wardens are participating in the search.

“The license plate appeared to be hung up on a root that was exposed as the river level has been dropping since this weekend,” Marek said. “We are working with a small window of opportunity because the river is supposed to start going back up as the water from Central Texas rains starts reaching this area. We have different agencies ready to search the river but each has different protocols they have to work out before they actually put people in the water to search.”

On Saturday, the river level was at 25 feet and has since dropped to 17.4 feet as of Thursday morning.

In addition to boats, helicopters have been used to search above the river in an effort to spot the vehicle or Jones.

Jones was originally determined to be missing Saturday morning when he failed to show up for his shift at the radio station. Also a member of the Bobby Jones Czech Band, he failed to appear at a show scheduled for Sunday at the Sealy Knights of Columbus Hall.
The sheriff’s department still has a missing persons alert out on Jones. That alert includes information on his vehicle, a red Chevrolet Lumina with license plate Texas F37-YHR. The initial investigation into the disappearance showed Jones’ home was secure and the vehicle missing.

Law enforcement officials still want to speak to anyone who witnessed anything or has been in contact with Jones since Friday night. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Wharton Sheriff’s Office at 979-532-1550.”

[Ranger Mom]

Wow....this isn't sounding very positive now!!

[44INAROW]

Originally posted by Ranger Mom
Wow....this isn't sounding very positive now!!
I am afraid so - I dont' know if they think he maybe had an accident and went off in the river or was a victim of foul play - I kinda got the idea from the article that there was evidence of an accident or at the least, a vehicle driving down towards the river - I hope for the family sake, they find out something soon :(

[AP Panther Fan]

Originally posted by 44INAROW
I am afraid so - I dont' know if they think he maybe had an accident and went off in the river or was a victim of foul play - I kinda got the idea from the article that there was evidence of an accident or at the least, a vehicle driving down towards the river - I hope for the family sake, they find out something soon :(

Really doesn't sound good at this point...keep us posted.

[yoemenkracker30]

I've known Bobby pretty much all my life....used to have to go to battle dances when my grandpa's band (dad played the tuba and mom played piano and vocals) played with them....he's a good man

[Antec]

http://www.khou.com/topstories/stories/khou070629_jj_polkaplayer.289e1046.html

[Bull Butter]

Never met or heard Bobby Jones, but this scenario does not sound good:(

[Antec]

Still no word

Can't bring car out of Colorado River which will hit around 32 feet Monday or Tuesday

Could take a while before divers can check it out -

[Antec]

http://www.journal-spectator.com/front1.shtml

[LH Panther Mom]

:(

[luvhoops34]

Thanks for keeping us posted.

[Antec]

The search for polka singer and radio deejay Bobby Jones continues to be delayed due to the rushing waters of the Colorado River in El Campo.

Jones, a regular performer at festivals and dance halls across the Gulf Coast, was reported missing on June 23. He failed to appear at El Campo's KLUP-AM for his regular morning radio show that day, and friends and family reported last hearing from him the previous evening.

The case reached a breakthrough with the discovery of Jones' license plate on the banks of the Colorado River on June 28, but the high level of the Colorado and its strong currents have prevented divers with the Department of Public Safety from examining what may be Jones' submerged vehicle.

Using sonar equipment, the DPS has found a mass that is likely Jones' vehicle, but authorities have not been able to confirm their hunch.

Wharton County Sheriff's Lt. Daniel Marek said the river remains at just over 30 feet high, and any attempt to recover Jones' vehicle would not happen until the river goes down to about 12 feet. The decision not to dive is based on guidelines created by area game wardens, the Lower Colorado River Authority and a national scuba diving organization, said Marek.

[Antec]

Search for missing DJ still delayed

-
Weather conditions have caused an indefinite delay for a dive team’s entry into the Colorado River, the next step in searching for clues in the disappearance of El Campo polka deejay Bobby Jones.

The Colorado River, which must drop significantly before a search can occur, is actually expected to rise from Friday morning’s 31.54 feet to 35.8 feet by Tuesday morning.

And it could rise even higher if more rain falls in Central Texas.

Currently forecasts call for only slight chances of rain in the Austin area after this weekend.

Jones, 48, has been missing since June 22, possibly shortly after hanging up from a 10:30 p.m. telephone call.

When he did not show up to host a polka show on El Campo’s KULP Radio the next day, band members and co-workers became concerned and began to search for him.
During the early morning hours June 28, a Wharton police officer located a license plate matching Jones’ 1993 Chevrolet Lumina stuck in a sapling at the Colorado River’s east bank not far from the bridge on Loop 183 behind Los Cucos Mexican Restaurant.

A crew using sonar located what could be a vehicle under the water near where vehicle tracks led into the murky river.
But at that point the river, at about 17 feet, was running too swiftly to put a diver in the water.

Wharton County Sheriff Jess Howell, whose agency is leading the search for the missing man, said yesterday the river would need to drop to about 12 feet for divers to safely enter the water and find out what the sonar detected.

“They did get the sonar ping that day of something that might
be a car, or might not,” Howell said.
“There’s a lot of cars down there from when they filled in the bank to make the (Pier 59, now Los Cucos) restaurant.”
He said even when the river was at 17 feet, there was no way to simply take a crane and grab the car.

“We’re talking about a car full of water and under 18 foot of water,” the sheriff said.

“The only thing that would come up if you did that is the bumper, and it would tear up the car. This is the dive team telling us, ‘You don’t do that, you have to get down there and wrap a chain around the drive shaft, and even then, you’re lucky if you can get the car up the bank.’”

Howell said he spoke with a Lower Colorado River Authority hydrologist who said it could be up to 3 or 4 weeks before the river is low enough for recovery teams to safely enter the water at the site, a bend in the river that maintains a very swift current.

“Tell the people for me that as soon as that opportunity comes and the DPS dive team says it’s safe to put a man in the water, we’re going to do it, but we’re not going to endanger somebody’s life to do that,” Howell said.

“I assure you, if we could do more, we’d do more. The moment we get the opportunity, we’re going to do it, and we’ll let everybody know as soon as we know.”

[Ranger Mom]

Still no news???:eek:

[Antec]

Not yet

Colorado River is still too deep for the divers to go and check

Has to be under 13 feet--Its 17 feet today

Maybe next week then can try

[luvhoops34]

Please keep us posted!

[Antec]

http://www.journal-spectator.com/

[lion75]

What ever happened on this?

[fireman1]

Originally posted by lion75
What ever happened on this?

The water is still to high for divers to safely go into the water. Maybe this week or next the river would be low enough so the divers can enter without risking alot. Alot of people are saying, "Why dont the Fire Dept. go in and get him." Yes we have a Swift Water Rescue Team but the key word is RESCUE at this point its going to be a recovery not a rescue then they say well why didnt yall go in when it first happened? For that to happen someone would have had to see the car actually go into the water if we are going to go in the water.

[lion75]

Thanks for the update.

[Antec]

http://www.journal-spectator.com/front1.shtml

[44INAROW]

what a nightmare for the family and friends....:(

[luvhoops34]

Originally posted by 44INAROW
what a nightmare for the family and friends....:(

Yeah, that is so sad. :(

[Phantom Stang]

The divers finally searched the river, and found nothing!!:confused:

http://www.fortbendstar.com/100307/n_Search%20for%20Polka%20band%20leader%20Bobby%20J ones%20at%20standstill.htm

[Ranger Mom]

Originally posted by Phantom Stang
The divers finally searched the river, and found nothing!!:confused:

http://www.fortbendstar.com/100307/n_Search%20for%20Polka%20band%20leader%20Bobby%20J ones%20at%20standstill.htm

That link doesn't work for me!!

[Phantom Stang]

Originally posted by Phantom Stang
The divers finally searched the river, and found nothing!!:confused:

http://www.fortbendstar.com/100307/n_Search%20for%20Polka%20band%20leader%20Bobby%20J ones%20at%20standstill.htm
I can't get the link to work,so try the Google page where I found the article:

www.google.com/search?q=polka+%22bobby+jones%22&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org
click the link, "Search for Polka band leader Bobby Jones at standstill".

[luvhoops34]

Damn:(

[Antec]

Seems like they will never find Bobby

Lot of Rumors around that he ran off to Czech Republic or to New York where his sister lives

Its just big mystery and its been drug out over 4 months already