The Refugio County Commissioners Court gave a portion of one county road away Tuesday morning, and said no to a hiker who asked to sleep along county roads for three weeks during his trek across Texas.

Approximately 1,400 feet of Old Beeville Road will be deeded back to the two owners of the property on both sides of the road. Van Huseman and James F. McKibben, both attorneys, filed a motion with the court to discontinue and close the county road. Both men cited the mischief that goes on at a hangout that’s become known as “the dead end.”

The court provided no resistance to the offer.

McKibben said a crime victim wandered up to his house six weeks ago. His has wife driven up to the fence where men were loitering and drinking beer. The road is littered with beer bottles, cans, hog carcasses, panty hose and other items, he said.

“It’s a place where bad things happen,” McKibben said.

Commissioner Gary Bourland told the court that the Pct. 3 crew picks up the litter on Friday and by Monday, it’s back again. The crew has found discarded syringes, green leafy substances, and beer bottles and a host of other litter.

“It’s known as the ‘Dead End,’” Bourland said. “It dead ends at their ranch... People drive down to the end, there’s no lights, so they do what it is they do.”

Huseman said hogs have been hunted and butchered, leaving the carcasses at the site. Fences have been cut, allowing cattle to run loose.

“There’s an endless variety of mischief going on out there,” Huseman said.

Robert McGuill, county attorney, said the road benefited the public at one time but only two people currently own the property.

The county will discontinue maintenance of the road and McGuill will deed the property back to the owners, effective immediately.

The county attorney also warned the commissioners about setting a precedent by allowing a man to sleep along county roads.

The court acted on his advice and withheld permission to S. Matt Read “to walk and sleep along county roads and county property for the duration of three weeks as he hikes around the state of Texas.”

“Once we do anything, we have to be consistent,” McGuill said. “We have denied other people.”

The attorney said the broadness of the request “scares me.”

In other matters, the commissioners:

• Accepted a bid of $1,400 from Albert McGuill for property at 912 Chaparral Street in Woodsboro,

• Approved an interlocal agreement between the county and Drainage District No. 1 to trim brush along the fence line,

• Continued a policy of having businesses and individuals request tax abatements through the court.