KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — The Smith County Sheriff’s Office recognized the best of the best in law enforcement over the last year. According to our news partner KETK, many deputies like patrol deputy, John McLean were recognized. He was received an old award with a new name, The “Lorenzo Bustos Memorial Peace Officer, Rookie of the Year Award.” The award honored Deputy Lorenzo Bustos who was killed in the line of duty while training in July of 2022. “I just hope that I do this award justice,” said John McLean. McLean said he was shocked to get the award. “I feel very honored, Bustos was highly looked up to by everybody on shift and everybody in the department so being able to receive this award tonight is an honor,” said McLean. The award acknowledges McLean’s exemplary work in the field. Continue reading Deputy Bustos’ legacy lives on through memorial award

LONGVIEW – The Longview Police Department says a woman earlier reported missing was found safe on Monday. Officials had sought assistance in locating Vanitra Odom, 46. According to our news partner KETK, Odom had last been seen February 23.

TYLER — The Smith County Commissioners Court on Tuesday approved using $264,654 of its ARPA funding to help build a special baseball field for the new Miracle League of Tyler. According to a news release, the nonprofit organization promotes recreational and developmental activities for children with mental and physical disabilities. Smith County’s ARPA funding will help pay for a special rubberized turf baseball field that accommodates wheelchairs and other assistive devices while helping to prevent injuries in case of a fall, according to the release. The City of Tyler is providing the land to build the field, adjacent to its other baseball fields. Miracle League is raising funds to construct the field and the City will maintain it. Click this link for more information.

WASKOM (KMHT) — Select staff members with a school district in East Texas will soon be armed with guns on campus. The Waskom ISD Board of Trustees voted to approve district policy allowing for the adoption of the Guardian Program. The Guardian program will work as an addition, not a replacement, to the school resource officer and existing campus safety protocols. The state requires guardians to have classroom and weapons training, an annual psychological exam, and a license to conceal carry, amongst other criteria. Waskom ISD has applied for a safety grant to add more safety measures for each campus.

TYLER — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton says his office was busy recently in Smith County addressing human trafficking allegations. In his Law Enforcement Round-Up for January 16–31, Paxton says from January 23 through January 26, the Office of the Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Unit and Fugitive Apprehension Unit participated in a proactive online solicitation operation in Tyler. The operation resulted in the arrest of Jose Ernesto Hernandez of Tyler, Delano Roosevelt Phelps of Tyler, Matthew Blake Organ of Whitehouse, James David Amos II of Flint, Lobo Monterrey of Jacksonville, and Charles Alexander McLarty of Flint. All individuals were arrested and charged with solicitation of prostitution of a person under the age of 18.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Classified documents and the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment were addressed by Congressman Nathaniel Moran during his weekly visit with KTBB. Moran discussed his new bill, the Information Security Act, which seeks to train government officials in the proper process of designating and handling classified government documents. Moran told us, “There’s a number of documents that are out there that probably have been over-classified. Typically, “classified” should only be assessed to information that if released would have some detrimental effect on our national security.” Continue reading Moran shares thoughts on classified documents, toxic train derailment

EAST TEXAS — Texas Park and Wildlife Game Wardens have arrested three men and may arrest others in an investigation covering four states. 21-year-old Carson Don Bottoms, of Longview, 24-year-old Drake Anthony Cannon, of Mount Pleasant, and 18-year-old Reagan Beavan Farquharson, of Heath, are accused of illegally shooting and processing deer in East Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Iowa. Game Warden Shawn Hervey says the poachers would drive around at night, at times trespassing on private property. Hervey said, over the past three years, up to 100 deer have been illegally killed.

HENDERSON – A Henderson woman has been arrested and charged in relation to a May 21, 2022 crash that left at least one child dead, according to Texas DPS. Iliana Esther Ayala, 29, was booked into the Rusk County Jail Saturday and charged with two counts of intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle and two counts of intoxication assault with a vehicle. According to our news partner KETK, she’s being held on bonds totaling $220,000. In 2022, DPS reported that Ayala was driving down Highway 64 at 7:45 p.m. when her car left the road and flipped over its front end, ejecting three children. Inside the car with Ayala was also Edna Grinaldo, 25, of Tyler, who was the only one wearing their seatbelt. Continue reading Woman charged with intoxication manslaughter after deadly crash

QUITMAN – Wood County officials last week conducted two search warrants that led to approximately 1,600 pounds of marijuana being seized, according to a release. One warrant was executed Thursday on County Road 1350 near the Lake Quitman area after investigators received information of a growing operation allegedly in that area. According to our news partner KETK, officials reportedly seized approximately 1,000 pounds of marijuana and arrested two Russian nationals at the location. Authorities say one of the suspects had just crossed the border of Mexico a few weeks prior after flying into Colombia. The other warrant was executed Saturday on County Road 1573, where officials say they located and seized another 600 pounds of marijuana. Continue reading Sheriff: 1,600 pounds of marijuana seized in Wood County, eight arrested

TYLER – A former Tyler ISD integrated student supports teacher was arrested Thursday for sexual assault, accused of having an improper relationship with a student while working at Three Lakes Middle School. According to our news partner KETK, Andre Jefferson, 28, of Tyler, was arrested for sexual assault of a child Feb. 23, three days after Tyler ISD police were notified of the allegations and Jefferson was suspended by the school pending an investigation. According to an arrest warrant, the middle school student told someone with the Smith County Children’s Advocacy Center that she “has been seeing Mr. Jefferson” at his apartment since January. Jefferson’s bond was set at $500,000.

TYLER – A Tyler man was sentenced to 20 years in prison Monday after pleading guilty to accident involving death and intoxication manslaughter in an April 2022 crash that killed a local teenager. According to our news partner KETK, Justin Pierce, 30, also pleaded guilty to assault of a peace officer for an April 2021 incident in which he was also arrested for public intoxication. According to a DPS report, Pierce was driving down Highway 64 near Tyler when he struck 18-year-old Marissa July-McCuin of Tyler, who was trying to cross the road. July-McCuin was taken to a local hospital where she later died from her injuries. According to the DPS report, Pierce had left the scene of the crash but was later caught. Pierce was booked into the Smith County Jail the day of the crash and remained jailed during the duration of his case.

LONGVIEW – The Longview Police Department is asking for public assistance in locating a missing woman. According to our news partner KETK, a news release says Vanitra Odom, 46, is 5’3″, weighs approximately 300 pounds, has black hair and brown eyes, and wears glasses. Police said she could be driving a silver Honda Accord with a license plate number of NKT6466. Odom’s family believes she could be in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. If you have any information on Odom’s whereabouts, contact the Longview Police Department at 903-237-1199.

AUSTIN (KRLD) – Casting an illegal vote would be a felony under a bill filed by an East Texas state senator. Bryan Hughes of Mineola passed an election law two years ago in the previous session, but an amendment to that bill lowered the penalty for illegal voting to a misdemeanor. He says his new bill is intended to correct what he sees as a shortcoming in the law. James Slattery of the Texas Civil Rights Project is opposed to the bill because it says a person could be prosecuted if “the person knows of the circumstance that makes the person not eligible to vote.” Hughes says voting illegally is a serious offense and the punishment should fit the crime.

PALESTINE — Palestine Police said they found the body of a man on Sunday in a creek. According to our news partner KETK, officials said they responded to the scene around 5:30 p.m. in a wooded area off Highway 155 near Loop 256 after the landowner observed what appeared to be a body. According to Palestine Police, the body was in “the later stages of decomposition” and detectives were able to locate an ID in the clothing. The man was 53-years-old from Tennessee and police said he was known to be homeless and living in the nearby woods. “Right now, there are no obvious signs of foul play, but we are looking at all possibilities,” Police Chief Mark Harcrow said. Continue reading Police find body of Tennessee man in East Texas creek

TYLER — TxDOT schedules another week’s worth of roadwork in the Tyler District for the week of February 27. In Gregg County, Longview maintenance will begin blade level-up work on FM 2906, both northbound and southbound, from SH 149 to the state maintenance ends marker. In Smith County, Tyler maintenance will have a crew performing base failure repairs on FM 15 about two miles south of SH 64. The crew will then move near Sadler St. on FM 15. Expect lane closures with flaggers controlling traffic. Click here for the complete rundown of roadwork around the district.