Hernandez

When Smith County Elections Administrator Denise Hernandez resigned, then tried to keep her position, the county said no.

On Tuesday, the reason became clear.

Hernandez was booked into the Smith County Jail Tuesday after she turned herself in on two arrest warrants.

Smith County Sheriff officials said on April 27 in the Smith County Elections Office in the Smith County Annex Building two female victims who are employed in the elections office, said they were each given a cup containing a pink liquid substance by their supervisor, Hernandez.

Hernandez informed the employees that the cup contained “Spark” energy drink. Both subjects consumed the drink, believing their supervisor, investigators said.

Investigators said a short time later, Hernandez came back and asked both employees if they had finished their drinks. She then allegedly placed a canister of colon cleanser on the counter and began making fun of them for drinking this product. As a result, both employees said they suffered pain and discomfort due to ingesting the product.

It was also alleged that when the employees returned to work, Hernandez continued to laugh and berate them for drinking the colon cleansing product.

On May 17, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office received information from Smith County Human Resources officials concerning the incident. On May 26, two arrest affidavits were presented to 7th State District Judge Kerry Russell.

Russell reviewed each affidavit and issued two warrants on Denise Hernandez for assault causes bodily injury, which is a Class A Misdemeanor, with a bond of $10,000 on each charge.

On June 1, Hernandez turned herself in on both warrants and was booked into the Smith County Jail. She was bonded out a short time after.

Hernandez, who was hired in late January, gave her resignation letter on Monday, May 3 and on Tuesday, May 4, she attempted to rescind the request.

In the second letter to Smith County Judge Nathaniel Moran, Hernandez said she originally wanted to quit due to a “childish incident.” On May 6, Hernandez declined to comment to the Tyler Morning Telegraph concerning the commission’s decision.

Hernandez said in her second letter to Moran that since issuing her resignation she realized her love for the job and wants to continue as elections administrator.

“I no longer want to resign and would like to request that I be allowed to keep working in my current role,” Hernandez wrote in a letter obtained by the Tyler Morning Telegraph on May 6. “I understand the inconvenience that resignation can cause and believe that my commitment to the company can overcome this challenge.”

The Smith County Elections Commission voted to accept Hernandez’s original resignation as county elections administrator on May 6 and denied her later statement rescinding the request.

The board then approved offering Michelle Allcon the role of interim Smith County elections administrator while the county searches for a permanent hire. Allcon is currently the elections coordinator for Erath County, which is west of Dallas and has Stephenville as a county seat.