KTBB News, Weather, Talk

HALLSVILLE — More than 20 teens were given citations for possessing or drinking alcohol after authorities responded Sunday to a call about a pasture party in Hallsville. KETK and the Longview News-Journal report that Jay Webb, Harrison County Sheriff’s Office spokesman, said 22 citations were issued shortly before 1 a.m. Sunday. That happened after someone called dispatch complaining about a loud party in the 2000 block of Country Club Road. Sheriff’s deputies and officers with the Texas Department of Public Safety responded to the call and found about 65 teenagers having a party. Most of the teens who were at the party live in Hallsville, Webb said.

After speaking with teenagers and administering breath tests, the officers determined some of the teens were in possession of alcohol while others were intoxicated, Webb said. The teenagers were released to their parents. No charges were filed for trespassing. The pasture’s owners lived nearby but were unaware of the party, Webb said.

TYLER – The Smith County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help in the recent theft of almost $10,000 worth of diesel fuel and other items from three locations in South Tyler and Southern Smith County.

During the overnight hours of April 22-23, a male suspect was caught on security video at Trendsetter Recycling, at 15580 CR 164, where some 250 gallons of diesel fuel was taken. The same man is suspected of burglarizing Compton Roll Off, at 15692 FM 2493, where about 30 gallons of diesel fuel was taken and a company truck was broken into and tools were stolen. A third location was also robbed and is being investigated by the Tyler Police Department.

Anyone with information on the identity of the suspect or the burglaries is asked to call Sheriff’s Detective Aaron Hinton at 903-590-2698.

TYLER — Authorities have made more progress in a four-month fraud investigation conducted by investigators of the Tyler Police Department, the FBI, and other county and local police agencies. Police announced Thursday that only five suspects of the original 21 are still sought: Demarcus Osborn, 23; Kachada Webb, 23; Lashundra Harris, 21; and Roderick Taylor II, 24, all of Tyler; and Tevin King, 19, of San Antonio.

Investigators were contacted since January by 45 victims who stated that their identity was fraudulently used stemming back to 2012. Authorities say the suspects were going online and obtaining multiple loans, using the victims’ identities, and having the funds transferred into the suspects’ bank accounts that they had set up. The victims were not aware of the fictitious loans in their names until they were contacted by the loan company for default of payment.

Anyone with information about the suspects involved in this crime is urged to contact the Tyler Police Department, at 903-531-1000, or Crimestoppers at 903-597-CUFF (903-597-2833). Crimestoppers will pay up to $1,000 for information that leads to arrests and charges filed against the suspects in this case or any felony case.

LONGVIEW — The complainant in a civil rights investigation of Longview ISD sports said Wednesday the district has asked the U.S. Department of Education for an early resolution. KETK and the Longview News-Journal report the district’s athletic program became the focus of a Title IX probe in February after a former girls soccer coach complained to the education department’s Office on Civil Rights. Title IX of the U.S. education code seeks to ensure boys and girls receive equal treatment in the classroom and on the field.

Chris Yoder, a teacher at Longview High School who resigned last summer as girls soccer coach, said Wednesday the civil rights office told him Tuesday the district had asked for early resolution. The district declined through its spokesman to comment on any aspect of the federal probe. The civil rights office Case Processing Manual says the Early Complaint Resolution requires both parties to “work constructively toward a mutually acceptable resolution.” “It’s not resolved,” Yoder said. “We’ve taken another step, and we’re closer.”

Department of Education spokesman Jim Bradshaw said in an email Wednesday he could not disclose much about the ongoing case. “About all we can tell you is that the case remains under investigation,” Bradshaw wrote the News-Journal. “We don’t discuss the details of our civil rights probes. That includes communications between the school district and OCR.”

GLADEWATER — A Gladewater man was arrested this week on a warrant accusing him of stalking his wife. That’s according to KETK and the Longview News-Journal. The arrest warrant filed in Gregg County Court at Law No. 1 accuses Lanny Dale Hill, 47, of going to his estranged wife’s home and repeatedly hitting the door while yelling obscenities at her. On March 19, Shannon Hill called Gladewater police to report Lanny Hill was at her home in violation of a temporary restraining order issued as part of the couple’s divorce, according to the warrant. Gladewater police issued a criminal trespass card against Lanny Hill, according to the warrant. The warrant details other incidents on April 16 and 17.

On April 19, Lanny Hill allegedly broke a window in Shannon Hill’s car. When he was stopped by police for reckless driving later, officers said they found a claw hammer and broken glass inside the vehicle, according to the warrant. On April 26, Gladewater police arrested Lanny Hill for violating the temporary restraining order by being on Shannon Hill’s property. He was being held in the Gregg County Jail on bonds totaling $27,500 on charges of criminal mischief, criminal trespass and stalking.

TYLER — A job fair Wednesday for hundreds of folks in the oil and gas industry never happened. KETK reports it was scheduled in Tyler at Workforce Solutions East Texas. The flyer advertised some 20 companies would be on hand with jobs, courtesy of Northeast Texas Oil Field Alliance. But when job seekers showed up, no one was there. Workforce staffers say they’re unsure how the event was promoted, and that the recruiter was not cleared to do the job fair. Staffers say they did what they could to make sure job seekers were taken care of. We’re told Northeast Texas Oil Field Alliance will not be asked back to Workforce Solutions again.

TYLER — Hundreds turn out for the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast in Tyler, part of the National Day or Prayer. Mayor Barbara Bass said the focus this year was on our future, and that the people who prayed were young people, who are the future. According to the mayor, “We know that if we don’t ground our children in our faith, that our future is gone.” Bass also reminded attendees that they are part of a community. She told them, “If you are a person of faith, you need to be living that faith by helping everyone around you.” The event was held at Harvey Convention Center.

Elsewhere, the Smith County Courthouse Square there were people praying from 9:00am to 9:00pm. Each hour a different church or group headed the prayer, worship and Scripture readings.

AUSTIN (AP/Staff) – An East Texan offered his thoughts as the Texas House approved allowing parents to opt-out of participating in a state immunization registry, rather than the current system allowing them to opt-in. The bill drew bipartisan support and passed 92 to 55 on Wednesday. It was strongly opposed by tea party-backed representatives. The information collected is only accessible to doctors. But critics worried what would happen if it fell into the wrong hands. Its sponsor, Austin Democratic Rep. Donna Howard, noted that vaccinations have stopped diseases that used to be pandemics. She asked critics, “What are you afraid would happen to the records?” Longview Republican Rep. David Simpson said a default opt-in would make the registry grow larger and could lead to the harassment of participants. He asked, “Should parents take care of children or should the state?”

MARSHALL — Some tense moments for authorities in Marshall after a suspicious pressure cooker type device was found near a dumpster outside a local gas station. Fire Chief Kenneth “Buzz” Snyder said authorities wanted to proceed “from a cautious standpoint,” so they “called the professionals who had the equipment and the training” to “come in, check it out, and make sure it wasn’t a hazardous device.” Snyder said a month ago, they never would have called the bomb squad in this situation, but the Boston Marathon bombing has changed that. The pressure cooker was found to contain only old, burned cooking grease.

LONGVIEW — A Longview woman has been arrested after police say she assaulted another woman with a hammer and staple gun in the 400 block of Johnson Street. That’s according to KETK and the Longview News-Journal. Staci Murry, 49, allegedly told the woman she was going to hit her with a hammer. The victim told police Murry swung the hammer at her twice but missed, forcing the victim to take shelter inside her apartment, according to police reports. Murry was able to open the door, at which time she hit the victim in the eye with a staple gun, according to authorities. Police say the two women began fighting and had to be pulled apart by neighbors. Murry is being held in the Gregg County Jail on $15,000 bond charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

LONGVIEW — Longview police are upbeat about Saturday’s Drug Take-Back Day. Longview Police and Louis Morgan Drugs teamed up to participate in the DEA’s Drug Take-Back Program. Local citizens turned in approximately 205 pounds of expired and unused medications for proper disposal. By properly disposing of these medications, police say citizens are making sure these drugs don’t fall into the wrong hands. The Longview Police Department was just one of the many law enforcement agencies across the nation to participate in this program. Last September, local citizens turned in over 339 pounds during the last Drug Take-Back event. According to PAR Officer James Bray, he hopes the decrease in the amount this time means that more people are becoming aware of the program. You can visit http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html for more information on this program.

WHITEHOUSE — There’s only one proposition on the May ballot for Whitehouse voters. KETK reports it would allow beer and wine to be sold in grocery and convenience stores. In 2010, it was voted down. this time around, though, the idea appears to be gaining momentum. At least one supporter says, “I’m concerned about the growth in our city, where all the surrounding cities sales tax is going up and where ours in going into the negative.” An opponent says, “We would like to keep it, the community, as friendly a place for family and kids as we can.”

CARTHAGE — A White Oak man will spend the rest of his life in prison for attacking a Tatum couple with a hammer last year. That’s according to KETK. Michael Christopher Ferris, 21, who has been in jail since April 2012, was sentenced to life in prison Tuesday in a Panola County courtroom. Tatum police say Ferris knocked on his victims’ door and asked to use the phone. Once inside, police say, he attacked an elderly woman with a hammer and then went to a nearby barn and began beating her husband. Both victims have since recovered from their injuries.

HENDERSON — Rusk County voters are facing two major proposals on the May ballot. KETK reports that in Henderson, a $27 million school bond is on the table. Supporters say Henderson’s current middle school is overcrowded and unsafe. Also on the ballot: financial support for local volunteer fire departments. They’re still feeling the pinch from our 2011 wildfire season, so the Rusk County Emergency Services District has proposed a tax hike from 3 cents to 7 cents.

GUN BARREL CITY (AP) – An East Texas city is staying true to its name by passing a resolution encouraging homeowners to own a firearm. On April 23, the city council in Gun Barrel City approved the measure that urges residents to have a weapon in their home, “together with ammunition.” There are exemptions included in the resolution, such as for those with a mental disability or who “conscientiously oppose” having a weapon. The city 55 miles southeast of Dallas is steeped in firearms: Its logo features two revolvers and the motto is, “We’ll shoot straight with you.” Mayor Paul Eaton told Dallas station WFAA-TV that gun ownership is a right. “We don’t need our rights taken away,” he said.

SCOTTSVILLE — Harrison County officials are trying to determine the cause of a fire that killed a man and destroyed his double wide mobile home. Killed was Glenn Coleman, 62. He was pronounced dead at the scene Monday night. The fire occurred on U.S. Highway 80 near Scottsville. Fire Marshall Thomas Mock tells the Longview News-Journal the only thing left of the mobile home is the frame and it will be hard to determine the cause of the fire.

HENDERSON — Two persons have been killed and three injured in a three vehicle accident in Rusk County. It happened around 4:30 yesterday afternoon on State Highway 43 near its intersection with County Road 214-D. Killed was Sandra Jones, 63, and Shari Standard, 62, both of Henderson. A six year old boy with them is listed in critical condition in a Dallas hospital. Two other persons are also hospitalized.The Department of Public Safety says the accident occurred when a truck hit the women’s SUV from the rear, pushing it into an oncoming truck.

NACOGDOCHES — The Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office has arrested three Nacogdoches men in connection with two burglaries in the Appleby area that occurred around April 1. According to KETK, Sheriff Jason Bridges said deputies investigated two burglaries that occurred a week apart on County Road 256 and Farm to Market Road 2609. Deputies saw that there were similarities in how both break-ins occurred.

Sheriff’s office investigators caught a break in the case after gaining information on several other recent arrests that have been made on burglary investigations over the course of the last month. While working those investigations, the sheriff’s office was able to find the stolen items from one of the residences that had been burglarized. This helped authorities identify three suspects in ongoing criminal cases. According to officials, investigators spoke to the three men about the burglaries and obtained confessions from them about the crime.

According to authorities, after getting confessions and other evidence, warrants were issued for the arrest of Mickey Johnson, 19, Alfredo Olmeda, 17, and Mauricio Sanchez, 17, for two counts of engaging in criminal activity, a first and second felony. All three suspects were taken into custody Monday afternoon and booked into the Nacogdoches County Jail. Sanchez and Johnson had previously been arrested by the sheriff’s office on April 8 for another burglary offense on County Road 806.

VAN — Two drivers have died in a two vehicle accident in Van Zandt County. It happened around 9:30 Monday night on Farm Road 314. Dead at the scene was Jason Miller, 29, of Van and Jill Troquille, 46 of Ben Wheeler. Their vehicles were said to have caught fire following the crash. The Department of Public Safety says Miller was north bound on FM314 and Troquille was south bound when Miller’s SUV crossed the center line and hit Troquille’s pickup headon.

LONGVIEW — Two women have been arrested after allegedly stealing 59 City of Longview manhole covers, and one is facing sentencing in a high-profile case from 2011. KETK reports that Rachel Bradley, 40, and Penny Summers, 51, were taken into custody after allegedly trying to sell them to a Longview scrapyard. Police say the covers had been stolen from the Neiman Marcus industrial park and the North Longview Economic Park areas. Authorities with the Harrison County Sheriff’s office say the two were also trying to sell a stolen urn that had been holding flowers in a small Longview cemetery. The women were arrested and booked into the Harrison County Jail.

Bradley (pictured) had previously been arrested for her role in the theft of $20,000 in gifts meant for local foster children during the Christmas season of 2011. The toys and electronics belonged to the Gregg County Child Welfare Board and were taken from the organization’s storage facility. Bradley was indicted in April 2012 for that crime and was released from jail on a $25,000 bond. The court found her guilty on April 4, and she is awaiting sentencing on May 6 for that felony case.

NEW BOSTON (AP) — The New Boston City Council has voted to remove the city’s longtime police chief. Kerry Pinkham says he doesn’t know why city leaders want him out. Council members say some people have complained that police aren’t doing a good enough job dealing with drug problems in the East Texas city of about 4,600.

HAZLEHURST, MISS. (AP/Staff) – A lawyer says he may try to free an accused embezzler from Mississippi who turned up in East Texas. A Mississippi grand jury in January failed to indict Linda Gale Reed. Reed’s attorney tells WLBT-TV in Jackson that if that happens again in June, he’ll petition the court to set her free.

Reed disappeared in late April of 2012, and her relatives feared she might be dead. Reed was picked up in October of 2012 in Longview, Texas, and was returned to Mississippi. She remains in jail but has not been formally indicted. Authorities say Reed is accused of embezzling $20,000 from her employer, Moore’s Fabrications. She had worked for the company since 1999. They say an accountant found the money missing from petty cash fund. She was reported missing after she didn’t show up for work on April 30, 2012. Her vehicle was found the next day.

LONGVIEW — Longview police say one retailer has been caught selling alcohol to a minor during the city’s latest police sting. On Tuesday, April 23, the Longview Police Department, partnering with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) and Longview Partners in Prevention (PIP), conducted off-premise minor stings at area retailers to validate compliance with Texas law prohibiting the sale of alcohol to minors. 15 alcohol retailers were checked by the undercover team. Police say the only one cited was Big Papa’s at 880 East Loop 281.

Police say the individual who sold alcohol to the undercover minor was listed in an offense report for “making alcohol available to a minor.” That’s a class “A” misdemeanor, and the report will be filed with the Gregg County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution. In addition, the TABC issued an administrative citation to the business.

LUFKIN (AP) – An East Texas woman has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for splashing her ex-roommate with gasoline and starting him on fire in a dispute about rent. A judge in Lufkin on has sentenced Michealle Boston, 45, of Lufkin over the November 2011 incident. A jury in February convicted Boston of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon causing bodily injury. Investigators say Anthony Hamilton suffered second-degree burns.

The Lufkin News reports Boston and Hamilton were renting his deceased mother’s home but he moved out when he fell behind in the payments. Prosecutors say the two argued over some property he left behind. Hamilton testified that he and Boston occasionally used drugs together and that he had been smoking PCP on the night he was burned.

MT. SELMAN — Cherokee County officials have rounded up two suspects in an aggravated robbery. Saturday afternoon just after 5:30, the Hot Spot #2 convenience store in Mt. Selman was robbed at gunpoint. According to the clerk, an individual came in the doors on the south side of the store, walked immediately around the counter, and pulled a gun demanding all the money. Once the suspect got the money, he reportedly ran back out the same doors. The clerk described the suspect as a young white male, wearing a red shirt with white lettering, and a bandana covering the bottom portion of his face. He was able to describe the pistol as a blue steel revolver with a wooden handle.

A witness to the robbery stated that he had just purchased a drink from the store and was leaving in his vehicle. He pulled around the rear of the store and observed a white male standing at the back of the store. He said the male was wearing a maroon shirt and turned his head to conceal his face when the witness drove past.

As the witness continued around the store and stopped to enter Highway 69, he looked back at the store and reportedly saw the same person standing next to the clerk behind the counter. The witness said he turned back into the parking lot on the south side of the store and saw the suspect running across the grass toward a blue Dodge Durango that was parked behind bushes on CR 3914. He stated that the passenger side door was already open, and the suspect jumped into the vehicle, which then sped off southbound on County Road 3914. The witness returned to the store to check on the clerk and wait for Deputies to arrive.

Using the information provided by the witness and the store clerk, law officers broadcast the suspect and vehicle information to other officers who located the suspect vehicle near CR 4910 in the Troup area. Inside the vehicle, with the two suspects, Det. Joey Ray and Deputy Dowell Baker located and recovered an H&R .22 caliber blue steel revolver with wooden pistol grips, $257 in cash, a black bandana, and a cloth mesh drawstring bag. Taken into custody were Jeremy Ray Sides (pictured), 20, of Troup, and Jacob Benjamin Reno, 17, of Jacksonville. Officials believe that Sides entered the store with the gun, and that Reno was the getaway driver. The investigation continues as Detectives compare shoe and tire impressions cast at the scene with those of the suspects and their vehicle. Other charges may still be pending based on the outcome of the investigation.

TYLER — A 40-year-old Joaquin man has pleaded guilty to federal drug charges. Dean Allen Tucker pleaded guilty to possession of pseudoephedrine with intent to manufacture methamphetamine when he appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love. Tucker faces up to 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not been set

According to federal prosecutors, Tucker purchased cold pills containing pseudoephedrine from the Ken Turner Pharmacy in Carthage with intentions of manufacturing methamphetamine. Tucker also admitted to purchasing cold pills on 25 additional occasions from November 18, 2008 to April 15, 2009, amounting to approximately 58.44 grams of pseudoephedrine. A grand jury returned a federal indictment on November 7, 2012, charging Tucker and Christine Stephens Carroll with drug trafficking crimes. Carroll was sentenced to 71 months in federal prison last August.

TYLER — A 45-year-old Grapeland man is arrested on child exploitation charges. Robbie Newby was indicted April 17 on four counts of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of possession of child pornography. Newby had an initial appearance Monday in Tyler federal court. Authorities claim he coerced or persuaded a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of such conduct. The offenses allegedly took place in Anderson County. If convicted, Newby faces a minimum of 15 years in prison for each exploitation charge and up to 10 years for the possession charge.

LONGVIEW — 78-year-old Elbert Pannell has been found alive and well, according to authorities. He walked away from his residence on Flenniken Street in Gladewater (Liberty City area) at about 8:00pm Sunday and had last been seen walking on Old Highway 135. Authorities announced he’d been found shortly after issuing a missing persons bulletin this afternoon.

LONGVIEW — All Longview adult softball games scheduled for Monday were called off after Hensley Park was found to be vandalized. City officials tell KETK several electrical boxes were broken into and the wires were cut to the lights on the field. The City is waiting for electrical contractors to assess the damage before they can estimate the cost. The games will be rescheduled for a later date. If you have any information about this incident, you are urged to contact Longview Police.

CHEROKEE COUNTY — Cherokee County authorities have arrested three men after executing a narcotics search warrant. Sheriff’s investigators executed the warrant Friday at the residence of Johnny Ray Birdwell (pictured), 63, located just outside the Reklaw Community in Eastern Cherokee County. Detectives Fred Butler and Michael Goff obtained a search warrant for the residence after conducting a lengthy narcotics investigation into the alleged sale of narcotics by Birdwell. The search warrant was executed at approximately 3:00pm on Friday afternoon. A total of $1,333 was seized, as were approximately 5 oz. of crystal methamphetamine, packaging materials, and other drug paraphernalia, according to officials. Birdwell, Brandon Wade Coats, 44, of Rusk, and Donald Ray Guinn Jr., 41, of Jacksonville were arrested at the scene.

All three suspects were charged with Manufacture/Delivery of a controlled substance in Penalty Group 1 (Greater than 4 grams, but less than 200 grams), which is a first degree felony. Birdwell is currently on parole for a previous felony conviction, and will most likely be served with a parole violation in the coming days. Guinn was also charged with Possession of a controlled substance in Penalty Group 1 (Less than 1 gram), which is a first degree felony. Detectives say they located stolen property at the residence, which resulted in a second search warrant being obtained and executed later on the same day. According to authorities, more charges are possible and will be filed as the investigations are completed.