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LONGVIEW — Longview Police say a woman was injured during a mugging Tuesday morning. It happened around 6:45 in the 300 Block of Lake Lamond Road. Officers say Ruth Miller, 57, Longview, was attacked by an unknown assailant as she went to her vehicle. Miller had been struck on the head by some type of stick, later determined to be a small tree limb. The suspect was described as a black male, wearing all black, approximately 5’5” and thin build. After striking Miller the suspect took her purse and fled the scene. Miller was transported to a hospital for treatment of her injures.

LONGVIEW — A man struck and killed by a train in Longview December 28 is identified as Sean Lee Holloman, 38, of Longview. Officers responded to a call of a pedestrian that had been struck by an oncoming train on the tracks located between Green Street and Fredonia Street. When officers arrived they located Holloman who was dead. A witness said the victim was walking down the railroad tracks waving at the train as it came towards him.

HALLSVILLE (AP/STAFF) — An overnight fire at the Tall Pines Mobile Home Park just outside Hallsville has killed Cody Cohen, 8. Two relatives were injured

The fire was reported around 12:30 Tuesday morning. Harrison County Fire Marshal Thomas Mock says the child was dead at the scene. Mock says the boy’s mother and grandmother were transported to a hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation. A total of three children and three adults were in the home when the fire started. While investigators look for the cause of the fire, it is believed to be electrical in nature.

TYLER — Tyler Police have arrested a suspect wanted in the break-ins at the South Tyler Animal Clinic on Old Jacksonville Highway. Travis Carl Lemmert, 17, Tyler was charged with burglary of a state building. The burglaries happened December 26 and January 3. Police say surveillance video led to a tip which in turn led to the arrest. Some of the medications that were stolen have been recovered.

LONGVIEW – The investigation into the death of a Gregg County jail prisoner has resulted in five jail employees being fired and two of them being arrested. Arrested were Tomeka Cross, 34 and Brian West, 30.

Amy Lynn Cowling, 33, of Gilmer, was found unresponsive in a separation cell at the North facility before midnight last Tuesday. Cowling was transported to Good Shepherd Medical Center and was dead on arrival early Wednesday morning.

Sheriff Maxey Cerliano said all documents, reports, logs, and electronic recordings pertaining to Cowling were secured and reviewed by investigators. It was discovered that a jail observation log had been falsified by a Gregg County Jail staff member. This information was forwarded to Texas Ranger Brent Davis and presented to the Gregg County District Attorney’s Office. An arrest warrant was issued by District Judge David Brabham charging Cross with tampering with a government document. She had been employed at the jail just over four months. Last Friday Cross was fired and booked into the Gregg County Jail. She appeared before Justice of the Peace B.H. Jameson and bond was set at $2,500. Brian West, 30, of White Oak was also arrested and charged with tampering with government records. The sheriff did not rule out more arrests or additional charges in the case.

Investigators determined that other employees were involved in conduct that was in direct violation of the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office general orders, code of conduct, and jail operational guidelines. Fired as a result of these violations were Corporal Kashena Davis, jailer Jacqueline Smiddy, jailer Gary Lewis, and jailer Brian West. During the investigation jailer Darrell McClenton resigned.

Sheriff Cerliano said information regarding the jail observation log as well as additional information was forwarded to the Texas Commission on Jail Standards. The Commission determined that the jail was in Non-Compliance effective December 30, 2010. This finding resulted in the transfer of all Smith County contract inmates at the Gregg County Jail to the Upshur County Jail. Since Smith County is under a remedial order, those inmates can only be housed in a county jail in Compliance.

Sheriff Cerliano added that the investigation is ongoing and the autopsy report is pending. The Gregg County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Rangers, and Gregg County District Attorney’s Office are conducting the investigation. Sheriff Cerliano stated that if anyone has done anything improper regarding the incarceration of Cowling or has failed to follow medical standards established to safeguard the health of all inmates, that employee will be dealt with quickly and severely.

LONGVIEW – Captain Mike Claxton with the Gregg County Sheriff’s Department confirms a street-arrest prisoner was found with a handgun while in custody. Claxton says the prisoner was transported to the Gregg County Jail, when they found a handgun inside a pant leg during his booking. It happened after he had been restrained in handcuffs and leg irons, which Claxton says is standard procedure. DeMichael Johnson, 19, now faces, besides the original arrest charge, a complaint of having a deadly weapon in a penal institute

TYLER — A Tyler Officer was injured while chasing a suspect. It happened Monday 2:25 a.m. Tyler Officers responded to 435 S.Bonner Apartment 8 on a residential burglary in progress. The suspect was attempting to enter the apartment through the bedroom window as the owner fled out the front door. When officers arrived on the scene the suspect fled the apartment on foot into the neighborhood with officers giving chase. The apartment owner said that she believed she knew the suspect who was attempting to retrieve some property from her.

Officer Wes Lawrence was one of the officers in foot pursuit of the suspect in a wooded area when he fell into a concrete drainage ditch after climbing over a chain-link fence. Officer Lawrence suffered head trauma after striking his head on the pavement and dislocated his shoulder. Officer Lawrence was transported to East Texas Medical Center and has been placed into ICU for observation. This case remains under investigation.

TYLER — Tyler Police Investigators have made an arrest in connection to the shooting of Nicole Cartwright, 15, that occurred on December 24. The suspect is identified as Adrian Earl Blankenship Jr., 22, Longview. Judge Kennedy signed the arrest warrant for 1st Degree Murder and placed a $500,000 bond on Blakenship. This case remains under investigation.

Authorities say Cartwright left Club REO to meet with family and friends, also from Longview, at the car wash on West Bow Street. Once at the car wash a disturbance occurred in the parking lot between four females in a gray or blue car with dark tinted windows, possibly a Pontiac, and a group of individuals in a red Dodge Challenger. Shots were fired, striking Ms. Cartwright who later died at a local hospital. Investigators have determined that Ms. Cartwright was not involved in the disturbance nor was she in either vehicle.

TYLER — Tyler Police investigate a Monday morning attempted sexual assault. According to the Tyler Police Department, officers responded to a call shortly after 5 a.m. regarding an assault that happened in the 1500 block of S. College, near Bergfeld Park. The victim said she was attacked by a man, dressed in all black while she was jogging. Evidently, the man was hiding in a wooded area and jumped the woman from behind…wrestling her to the ground. After touching her inappropriately, the victim was able to break loose from the attacker. Police say she was carrying pepper spray and an air horn. The suspect is described as around 6’6 between 220 and 240lb.

The Tyler Police Department advises women, never jog alone at night and always be prepared with something to protect themselves, like pepper spray, an air horn, or a large stick. If possible always take a friend when you exercise outside.

RUSK COUNTY — An East Texas robbery suspect is apprehended. It happened last Monday around 12:30. Derric O’Brien Blanton, Henderson, was arrested in Nacogdoches County in connection with an aggravated robbery in Rusk County. The robbery was reported December 21, around 10:00 p.m. at the Conoco Station in Mt. Enterprise. On Friday, Blanton was extradited to Rusk County where he remained in jail awaiting arraignment.

On Sunday at approximately 10:00 am, Blanton was arraigned by Honorable Judge Jerdy Wolverton, Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1, in Rusk County. Blanton was charged with aggravated robbery. His bond is set at $60,000. Blanton currently remains in the Rusk County Jail.

MARSHALL — Officials are celebrating the success of a holiday event in East Texas. Marshall’s 24th annual Wonderland of Lights Festival was a huge success with thousands of people visiting the event each night of the 5 week run. Tomi Johnson of the Marshall Convention and Visitors Bureau says a stellar concert series, the outdoor ice skating rink and thousands of Christmas lights in the downtown area helped to draw the crowd. Preparations for the 25th annual Wonderland of Lights Festival in 2011are already underway.

TYLER — The Tyler Police Department released the results of the “No Refusal DWI Campaign” December 30th through January 2nd, 2011. Authorities say total DWI arrests for the campaign for all agencies were 12. DPS had 7 DWI arrests and Tyler PD had 5 DWI arrests. Total number of refusals for breath/blood specimens was 3. DPS had 2 refusals and Tyler PD had 1 refusal. Officials say, compared to last year’s total number of arrests, 15, this year saw a decrease of 20% in the number of DWI arrests.

Authorities say Lindale PD had a fatality accident during the campaign, on January 1st. It was believed to be alcohol related, but resulted in the death of the suspect; blood results are pending.

HENDERSON (AP) – A Fort Worth hunter who allegedly thought he bagged a deer faces a weapons charge over the fatal shooting of an Overton man. The Rusk County Sheriff’s Office on Monday announced 54-year-old Rodney Connally has been arraigned on a felony charge of unlawful possession of a firearm. Bond was set at $50,000. Sgt. Viki Penny had no information on an attorney for Connally. She told The Associated Press it does not appear that Connally knew 41-year-old Louis Conner Jr. The shooting happened Saturday morning on a deer lease. Penny says Connally notified officers when he thought he shot a deer, then discovered Conner had been shot. Penny described the investigation as an “accidental shooting” and says results will be forwarded to prosecutors. Further details on Connally were not immediately released.

LONGVIEW — Four persons have been cited for reckless damage or destruction following a four acre grass fire. It started near Longview around 1:00 New Year’s morning when fireworks the group was shooting started a fire in a wooded area near McCann and Graystone Road. Had it not been for the quick response by the Longview and Judson Metro Fire Departments, nearby houses and buildings could have been destroyed or damaged.

MABANK – Investigators are trying to determine the cause of the New Year’s Day fire at the Edward Jones Building in Mabank. It was reported around 8:00am. While the fire was contained in the Jones’ building, there was some smoke damage at nearby stores. No injuries were reported.