KTBB News, Weather, Talk

LONGVIEW — An apartment in a house and a nearby storage building have been destroyed in a Longview fire. The fire, in the 100 block of Sydney Street, was reported around 6:15 Wednesday night. No injuries were reported. Investigators say the cause of the fire remains under investigation, but it appears to be suspicious. It appears as if the fire started in the back yard.

KILGORE — Gregg County authorities have arrested a suspect in a weekend shooting. Ricky Lynn Walker, 21, is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection with the early Sunday morning shooting. It happened at Tony’s Wild Thing on Texas 31 west of Kilgore. The wounded man remains hospitalized following emergency surgery.

TYLER – A Rusk County man is among those indicted by a federal grand jury in Tyler. Victor Hernandez, Jr., 30, of Henderson, was indicted on charges of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine. If convicted, he could receive a term of imprisonment of not less than 10 years and not more than life, and a fine not to exceed $4,000,000.00 or both. In addition, he could receive a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and a mandatory special assessment of $100.00.

The indictment alleges that from in or about October of last year until the defendant’s arrest on September 22 of thus year, Hernandez knowingly and intentionally conspired with others to possess, with the intent to distribute, and distributed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

And the grand jury indicted Gabriel Huerta Cruz, 34, of San Luis de la Paz, Guanajato, Mexico was indicted on charges of being an alien found unlawfully present in the United States after previous deportation. If convicted, he could receive a term of imprisonment of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to$250,000.00 or both. In addition, the defendant could receive a term of supervised release of not more than three years and a mandatory special assessment of $100.00.

The indictment alleges that on July 25, Gabriel Huerta-Cruz was arrested by deputies with the Henderson County Sheriff’s Department for driving while intoxicated. Department of Homeland Security/Immigration and Customs Enforcement (DHS/ICE) was contacted by the state authorities based on Huerta-Cruz’s suspected illegal status in the U.S. On August 20, it was determined that he was illegally in the United States. The investigation also revealed that Huerta-Cruz is a Mexican national and that he was previously deported to Mexico on May 17, 2005 after an aggravated felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance.

TYLER — City of Tyler online and phone-based payment was unavailable for public use due to maintenance upgrades over the weekend. It is back up and operational today. Additionally, on Wednesday, October 13, and Thursday, October 14, the Click 2 Gov (online payments) will be inaccessible due to maintenance. The phone system will be available for payments where applicable.

* In lieu of online, Water Department customers may make payments in one of two drop boxes located at 511 W. Locust and in front of Brookshires at Rice Road and Broadway.
* The Municipal Courts will be extending due dates for two days in deference to the maintenance.

* During this maintenance period, water payments can be made in person at the Water Business Office located at 511 W. Locust in addition to the drop boxes listed above, or by calling (903) 531-1230.
* Building Permit Customers may pay in person at 423 W. Ferguson.
* Municipal Court customers may pay in person at 813 N. Broadway; however, not by telephone. Again, all Court due dates will be extended by two days to allow those wishing to use the online system to do so.

TYLER — The Tyler Area Chamber holds its annual meeting Thursday night at Harvey Convention Center. The community’s top citizens will be honored with the T.B. Butler and W.C. Windsor Awards, and other kudos will also be handed out. Along with that, there’ll be a review of the Chamber’s work program for the just-ended fiscal year. There’s a reception at six, with dinner at 7, and you can still get a ticket by calling the Chamber office at (903) 592-1661.

WASHINGTON, D.C — It’s back to the drawing board for the Lake Columbia project. According to KETK, the Environmental Protection Agency has rejected the current plan to build Lake Columbia. They say the statement needs more information on threatened and endangered species. The proposed lake will be a 10,000-acre water supply in the Mud Creek flood plain, spanning toward Cherokee County.

TYLER — The drowning of a young Tyler girl has been ruled accidental and no charges will be filed in the case. On September 20th, on her second birthday, Ava Faith Ayers drowned in a back yard swimming pool at 3721 Arlington. Investigators say a 16 year old was babysitting the two year old and her 3 year old sister. The teen was talking to someone who had stopped by the house when the 2 year old went out the back door and fell into the pool. The youngster was transported to Trinity Mother Frances Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Tyler Investigators have received the official autopsy results on the youngster. The results indicated that Ayers died as a result of water in her lungs and there were no signs of foul play. The case was reviewed by the Smith County District Attorney’s Office to determine if any criminal charges were warranted. After reviewing the facts of the case, it has been determined the drowning was accidental and no criminal charges will be pursued.

LONGVIEW — The Southeast Texas Forensics Center in Tyler has issued autopsy results in the death of 80-year-old John Morris, ruling his death a homicide. Morris was seriously injured and hospitalized after being assaulted during the robbery of his bait shop in the 400 block of West Pliler Precise Road in Longview on July 31. He died at Good Shepherd Medical Center on September 21. According to police, the homicide investigation is open and ongoing, and detectives are awaiting the analysis of evidence in the case that may lead to a suspect. There have been no arrests at this time.

Detectives are asking for anyone with information about the robbery to contact Gregg County Crime Stoppers at http://www.greggcountycrimestoppers.com or 903-236-STOP. A reward of up to $1000 may be paid for information leading to the arrest of the suspect in this case. Police say any information given will remain confidential.

NACOGDOCHES — Police have arrested the second suspect in the stabbing death of 49-year-old Thomas Grimes, according to a press release from the Nacogdoches Police Department. Nathan Welsh, 22, who is charged with murder, was arrested at about 9:30 Wednesday morning on Park Street at Crisp Road, NPD Public Information Officer Greg Sowell said in the release. KETK reports Grimes was found by his neighbor at about 10:50 p.m. Monday, stabbed multiple times in the torso and was pronounced dead at Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital soon after arriving.

Though the details of that night are still unclear, police are closer to finding answers, Sowell said. “About all we know right now is they all three knew each other and they were all in the apartment together and there was a disturbance that ensued, some sort of disagreement, and this man ended up stabbed,” Sowell said. Police on Tuesday arrested 18-year-old Milton Brown, who turned himself in on a murder warrant, in connection with the stabbing, Sowell said. Both Welsh and Brown are listed as homeless.

TYLER — Information from the Texas Comptroller indicates that City of Tyler sales tax revenues deposited for the month of October have increased 10.89 percent as compared to the same period in 2009. City officials say Tyler compares favorably to the statewide average improvement of 6.1 percent. The reported revenue of $2,708,404.47 comprises $1,805,602.98 general sales tax revenue and $902,801.49 half-cent sales tax revenue. The figures represent receipts from August 2010 collections, as there is a two-month period before revenue is reported.

“October is the first month in the City’s fiscal year, and this is a tremendous way to start it off,” said City Manager Mark McDaniel. “For the 2010/2011 budget, we projected a two percent increase in sales tax collections; beating that projection right out of the gate positions us well moving forward. However, we will continue to be vigilant and monitor the budget closely before beginning to fill positions that we have held vacant in response to the slower economy.”

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) – An administrator at UT Tyler is among four semifinalists for the presidency of the University of Louisiana at Monroe. Peter J. Fos is provost and executive vice president at UTT. The UL system says the search committee plans to recommend at least two finalists next Wednesday, after on-campus interviews Monday and Tuesday. Other semifinalists are J. William Berry, professor and executive vice president and provost at the University of Dallas; Nick Bruno, UL System vice president for business and finance; and Thomas F. Moore, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C.

TYLER — Police say it’s not too late to sign up for a block party for the annual Texans Against Crime (T.A.C.) night out. The event will take place on Tuesday, October 12th, from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. T.A.C. celebrations are held throughout East Texas on the second Tuesday in October. At last report, according to KETK, over 60 block parties had registered so far for this year’s event in the City of Tyler. Police say this is your last chance this week to register your block party by calling the Tyler Police Department at 903-531-1096 or going to http://www.tylerpolice.com to register online.

Police say the Texans Against Crime program is an annual event designed to unite neighbors and communities to encourage neighborhood communication, community involvement and crime prevention to create safer neighborhoods. The T.A.C. program encourages neighborhoods to host block parties as an opportunity to get to know your neighbor and fight crime.

According to police, the Texans Against Crime program promotes neighborhood alliances to strengthen communities and preserve the quality of life in East Texas. Police add that the program helps to educate families, friends and neighbors about crime prevention and inform residents that communities are safer when neighbors work together. Police say getting to know your neighbors is an important step in keeping your community safe.

TYLER — United States Attorney John M. Bales announced Wednesday that two men have pleaded guilty in Tyler to participating in a multi-state health care fraud scheme. Kevin Onwudiwe, 36, of Houston, pleaded guilty late Tuesday during an appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Judith Guthrie. Jasper Ogbonna, 41, of Newark, Delaware, pleaded guilty before Judge Guthrie on September 27. A sentencing date has not been set for either man.

According to information presented in Court, from August 2005 through April 2008, Ogbonna controlled and operated Matrix Medical Equipment and Supplies, Inc., in Weirton, West Virginia. Onwudiwe assisted in the operation of Nicco Medical Services, LLC in Little Rock, Arkansas. Both companies provided durable medical equipment to Medicare beneficiaries.

Ogbonna, Onwudiwe and their co-conspirators devised and carried out a scheme to defraud Medicare through the marketing of “ortho kits,” which consisted of a bag of orthotic items such as braces, wraps and supports. As part of the scheme, Ogbonna, Onwudiwe and their co-conspirators illegally obtained protected Medicare beneficiary health information, including names, dates of birth, and Medicare and Social Security numbers from elderly individuals. Approximately 509 Medicare beneficiaries in Texas and Louisiana were supplied with “ortho kits” which were not prescribed or authorized by a physician and were not wanted by the beneficiaries. In many instances, physicians’ signatures were forged and false claims were submitted by Medicare in the names of Medicare beneficiaries who were deceased.

Using protected health information, the defendants and their co-conspirators billed between $4,850 and $6,550 for each “ortho kit,” causing the submission of false and fraudulent claims to Medicare of more than $2.8 million dollars. As a result of these claims, Ogbonna, Onwudiwe and their co-conspirators unlawfully obtained more than $1,095,000.00 from Medicare.

This case was investigated by the United States Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and the Texas Office of the Attorney General – Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (OAG-MFCU). The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Nathaniel Kummerfeld.

BULLARD – A boil water notice from the City of Bullard is lifted Wednesday morning. Bullard Director of Public Works David Hortman says the boil notice went into effect Tuesday after a water main break. According to KETK, this morning, all test results were clean. The water is now safe to drink without boiling.

NACOGDOCHES — Investigators have one person in custody and are searching for another in the death of a Nacogdoches man. He was stabbed multiple times shortly after 10:45 Monday night at the Austin Place Apartments in the 3200 block of North Street. Thomas Grimes, 49, was found covered in blood in the apartment’s parking lot. Investigators believe the disturbance started inside Grimes’ apartment.

Arrested Tuesday afternoon at the Nacogdoches Police Department was Milton Brown, 18. The homeless man had been named in a murder warrant. Another homeless man has also been name in a murder warrant. He is identified as Nathan Welsh, 22. Nacogdoches police describe Welsh as a black male about 5’6” and weighing around 142 pounds. They say he should be considered armed and dangerous.