KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER – According to our news partner KETK the Texas Department of Public Safety is reporting that a fatal crash has happened on Toll 49 near Old Jacksonville Highway. Officials are asking drivers to take alternative routes around the area to avoid traffic and to allow law enforcement to work at the scene. This story will be updated when more information is available.

WINNSBORO – A man was arrested on Thursday night Winnsboro after multiple reports of shots fired across town. According to Winnsboro PD and our news partners at KETK, they received the first call of reported shots fired around 8 p.m. and responded to the area where they found shell casings in front of a home in the 400 block of South Post Oak Street. Officials said while they were at the home, officers heard and received more calls in other areas of Winnsboro reporting shots fired, and authorities responded to those areas with assistance from the Wood County Sheriff’s Office. Officers eventually returned to the home on South Post Oak Street where officials said the door to the home was found open and an empty handgun was found on the kitchen counter while they cleared the home. Continue reading DWI arrest after multiple reports of shots fired

TYLER – With December here, that means there are Christmas light displays for you and your loved ones to enjoy. Our news partner KETK has a complete list for you. You can find it here.

LONGVIEW – A Longview middle school student was placed in custody Friday morning after threats were allegedly made against students and staff. According to our news partner KETK, Longview Police say a student allegedly made threats at Foster Middle School Friday mid-morning. A school resource officer looked into the complaint which led to a student being taken off Foster Middle School premises and transported to the Gregg County Juvenile Detention Center. The student was charged with making terroristic threats, which are a third-degree felony.

TYLER – After getting new DNA evidence, Tyler Police Wednesday arrested a man in connection to the 2005 sexual assault of two women. According to our news partner KETK, 40-year-old Jimmie Earl Gamble Jr. of Smith County was arrested and charged with two counts of sexual assault. TPD say the new DNA evidence was given to them by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Gamble is currently in the Smith County Jail on a $600,000 bond.

TYLER — Tyler Animal Control and Shelter is offering a ‘White Christmas Adoption Special” through December. When you make an adoption and donate 12 white towels, the shelter will waive the adoption fees. The standard adoption fee for dogs is $120 and $80 for cats. Animals adopted from Tyler Animal Services are spayed/neutered, micro-chipped and vaccinated. The towels will be used for the animals at the shelter. To adopt, view available animals or submit an application, go to the Tyler Animal Services webpage.

ARP — A man wanted in both Texas and Louisiana was arrested in Arp earlier this month after a pursuit with police. According to our news partner KETK, Arp PD announced on Wednesday that the Smith County Sheriff’s Office pursued a Chevrolet Camaro with a stolen license plate on Nov. 18 but were unable to continue their pursuit. Officials said a short time later an Arp police officer saw the car traveling on Highway 64 E and attempted to stop the car. The officer pursued the suspect for a short time before the Camaro experienced mechanical issues. The driver fled, and police said he was soon caught by the officer. Dealvin Darnell was arrested for evading arrest and possession of a controlled substance between four grams and 200 grams. Continue reading Wanted man arrested following police pursuit

TYLER — The Tyler city council voted on Thursday evening to suspend CenterPoint Energy’s filing to raise its costs. “The city has taken action by law that it can take,” said Tyler City Attorney Deborah Pullum. The city council took only a few minutes to suspend the filing, our news partner KETK reports. CenterPoint Energy gave the city of Tyler a notice of a proposed rate increase of 5.8% that would go into effect on Dec. 4 if no action was taken by the city. Hence why the city council met on Thursday. Pullum said they want to make sure the city and its businesses get to a fair number. “I think it’s important for all parties obviously and important to the customers because they only want to be charged fair rates but they also want to be able to get the services that they need,” added Pullum. Officials said they expect to have ongoing talks with the company and have 90 days to come to a decision with CenterPoint Energy on a rate.

TYLER — According to Smith County judicial records, the State of Texas has decided to not seek the death penalty for Steven Alexander Smith, a man accused of killing two Tyler dentists in 2022. According to our news partner KETK, 59-year-old Dr. Blake G. Sinclair and 75-year-old Dr. Jack E. Burroughs were both shot to death at Affordable Dentures & Implants in March of 2022. At the time, Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith said that Steven was a patient at the clinic when an altercation about dentures started. Steven allegedly went out to his vehicle, came back into the office, and shot Sinclair and Burroughs. “[He] went out and retrieved medium-caliber pistol from his vehicle, returned inside and started shooting,” said Sheriff Smith. Steven was later arrested outside of his home and indicted in May. His jury trial is scheduled for Jan. 22, 2024.

ATHENS — A former Athens school bus driver charged in connection to a fatal crash with a train in 2019 had his charges dismissed. According to our news partner KETK, in a Henderson County court on Nov. 21, 83-year-old John Franklin Stevens had his injury to a child and criminally negligent homicide cases dismissed. He was charged in connection to a January 2019 crash with a Union Pacific train that killed 13-year-old Christopher Bonilla and injured 9-year-old Joselyne Torres. He was driving the bus at the time when it was hit by the train and reportedly was pushed one-quarter of a mile before coming to a stop. Continue reading Charges dismissed for fatal bus crash

SMITH COUNTY — The executive director of the Sheriff’s Association of Texas has resigned in lieu of termination after being accused of misappropriation of funds. According to our news partner KETK, Smith County Sheriff and President of SAT Larry Smith announced on Thursday that Executive Director Steve Westbrook is accused of misappropriating the association’s funds after receiving two tips from employees on Nov. 16. On Nov. 17, Smith received confirmation that the Texas Attorney General’s Office was investigating the case and secured documents. Continue reading Executive Director of Texas Sheriff’s Association under investigation

TYLER – Five people have been found guilty of violating the Anti-Kickback Statue in connection to a $1.2 billion dollar healthcare kickback conspiracy,  U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs said on Thursday. According to our news partner KETK, those convicted were Susan L. Hertzberg, 65 of New York, New York, Matthew John Theiler, 57 of Mars, Pennsylvania, David Weldon Kraus, 65 of Loudon, Tennessee, Thomas Gray Hardaway, 51 of San Antonio and Jeffrey Paul Madison, 48 of Georgetown.
Continue reading Five convicted in $1.2 billion healthcare kickback scheme

TYLER – Our news partner KETK reports that Tyler ISD notified families on Thursday that internet and phone lines are down district-wide as of 11:40 a.m. In a statement, the district said that they are aware of the outage and are working to restore it. No timeline was given for a resolution.

NEW LONDON — The City of New London has issued a boil water notice on Wednesday according to our news partners at KETK. “Due to conditions which occurred recently in the water system, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has required the system to notify all customers to boil their water prior to consumption,” said New London officials. Continue reading New London issues boil water notice