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TYRONE (AP) -- Lawsuits for former police officers have done what a century of natural disasters and renegades have been unable to do to Tyrone: drive it into bankruptcy.
The Texas County town of about 880 has filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy, which will allow it to stave off claims and attorneys fees that now equal the town's annual budget of about $150,000.
The filing halts five lawsuits filed by former Police Chief Ken Winter; his wife, Denice Winter, a dispatcher; Dale Patrick Ryan, a police reserve; his wife, Connie Ryan, a dispatcher; and Scott Hedrick, a police officer.
"It (lawsuits) already had made the town insolvent to where it wasn't going to be able to pay its employees," said town attorney Ryan Reddick of Hooker,...