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HENDERSON COUNTY — A Henderson County traffic stop lands two men in jail. Deputies stopped a car Tuesday night on FM 315 in Chandler and noticed the driver, Michael Oldham, moving around the car in a suspicious manner. Deputies found marijuana and drug paraphernalia in the console of the vehicle. One of the passengers, Joshua Spivey,(pictured) admitted to having drug paraphernalia and meth. More drugs were found in his boot when he was booked into the county jail. The two were charged with possession. Oldham was also charged with driving without a license.

LONGVIEW — Two men are behind bars following a prostitution sting in Longview. Longview Police along with CODE agents conducted an undercover prostitution operation on East Marshall Avenue. During the five-hour operation, two suspects, Jermaine Darnell Jackson, 35, of Longview, and Jorge Armondo Lopez, 39, of Marshall, were arrested for prostitution. Police said the operation was designed to attract “Johns” to solicit sexual conduct from undercover officers.

TYLER — If you have a Smith County jury summons asking you to report for duty on Wednesday, October 25, you can ignore it. Smith County residents who were planning to report for jury duty Wednesday with their yellow cards don’t have to make the trip to the county courthouse. No new panels will be needed on Wednesday, Smith County Jury Coordinator Lisa Bennett said. However, if you have been asked to return for jury duty by a specific court, you must still report.

LONGVIEW – Two people have been indicted in connection with the July stickup of a Longview pizza parlor. According to KETK, Gregg County judicial records show Shaterica Johnson, 27, and Quadaverine Allison, 23, were both indicted on October 19. On July 13, two masked men robbed an employee as he tried to lock the front doors at 9:50 p.m. at Little Caesar’s Pizza, according to an arrest warrant signed July 25. The suspects got away with $1,212 cash from a store safe, authorities said. Continue reading Two Indicted in Pizza Parlor Heist

LONGVIEW – A Hallsville man has been indicted for online solicitation of a minor. According to KETK, Gregg County judicial records show 33-year-old Shane Chapman was indicted on October 19 following his arrest during a sting operation. The Child Exploitation Unit of the Texas Attorney General’s Office collaborated with the Arlington Fugitive Apprehension Unit and the Longview Police Department during the week-long operation in May. Officials began the investigation into a mobile dating smartphone app using the undercover persona of 15-year-old children, according to a search warrant. Continue reading Man Indicted for Online Solicitation

DALLAS — An East Texas ranch is going on the auction block November 15. The Broseco Ranch covers nearly 12,000 acres east of Mount Pleasant and is currently listed at $34.2 million. The Dallas Business Journal reports the sale of the property along Interstate 30 will be followed by the sale of 2,000 head of red angus cattle. The sealed-bid auction is being handled by Icon Global Group of Dallas, which says the property includes two bass fishing lakes and a herd of deer.

MARSHALL — Marshall Police are investigating the death of a Texas State Technical College student. Officers responded to a dorm on the campus of TSTC around 9:40 Sunday night and found Derrick Lockwood, 23, Jasper, dead. His body was sent to Forensic Medical of Texas in Tyler for an autopsy.

TYLER — A UT Tyler student was struck by a car while he was walking Sunday. According to a University statement, Justin Bartie, a member of the Patriots Mens Basketball Team, was accidentally struck by a car while walking and is currently in ICU. Doctors do not believe his injuries are life-threatening. Additional information was not available due to privacy concerns.

GREGG COUNTY — A Gilmer man was sentenced Monday to life in prison for sexually assaulting a clerk working in a South Longview convenience store more than five years ago. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, Shawn Michael Willard, 33, was convicted June 16 of aggravated sexual assault after pleading guilty to charges stemming from the Feb. 16, 2013, incident at the former Chanel Stop and Shop on Mobberly Avenue. Willard entered the establishment just after it opened at 7:00 that Saturday morning, forced the victim into a back room and sexually assaulted her, threatening to cut her throat if she fought back. He then choked her and pressing down on her throat with his foot.

LONGVIEW — Authorities have identified at least two suspects they say were involved in more than six dozen cases of vandalism of vehicles across Longview last week. According to the Longview News-Journal, Jose Edmundo A. Pintor-Cervantes, 21, of Longview, was booked Friday into the Gregg County Jail for violating probation on a 2016 drunken driving conviction and an Immigration & Naturalization Service detainer. Police said Pintor-Cervantes is one of two suspects in more than 76 reported cases of vandalism that allegedly occurred during the early morning hours of Oct. 16 in Longview. The identity of the second suspect has not been released. Continue reading Longview Vandalism Suspect Arrested

NACOGDOCHES — The Nacogdoches County Sheriff Office is investigating the death of a Mexican National that occurred on a farm located on Fm 343 near Fm 225. On Saturday morning shortly after 8:00, the Sheriff’s office was dispatched to the farm in reference to a worker that was ran over by a tractor. Deputies and EMS found the victim near the tractor. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His identity has not been released. The report said the victim was apparently standing up on the side of the tractor when he cranked it. The tractor was in gear and jerked forward when it was cranked. This caused the victim to fall off the tractor and got pinned underneath the back tire.

SMITH COUNTY — An East Texas man was arrested over the weekend for kidnapping. According to KETK, Smith County judicial records show Salman Ali Quraishi, 20, of Tyler, was arrested around 12:20 Friday afternoon by University of Texas at Tyler Police. He’s been charged with two counts of kidnapping and one count of criminal trespassing. Quraishi was booked into the Smith County Jail and was released Saturday on $200,500 bond. Quraishi is listed as a Freshman and Finance major from Plano in the UT Tyler student directory. Continue reading UT Tyler Student Arrested on Kidnapping Charges

TYLER — A Tyler police officer has been injured in a three-vehicle wreck at S. Broadway and Loop 323 around 2:31 Monday afternoon. Officers determined that a patrol vehicle driven by Officer Sean Ratliff was southbound on S. Broadway in the intersection on a green light and was struck by a Kia Optima driven by Sherika Session of Jacksonville. The Kia was traveling eastbound on Loop 323 and ran a red light, according to police. Session then struck a third vehicle that was stopped in the northbound lane. All the occupants of all three vehicles were transported to local hospitals with non-life threatening injuries. Session was found to be at fault for running a red light.

KILGORE – Police have identified the suspect in a Kilgore shooting which left two people injured. According to KETK, the Kilgore Police Department says Kadarrius Devon Sasser (AKA Debo Brazy), 22, of Cedar Hill, shot two people on Wednesday, October 18, around 2:45 p.m., on South Street after a disturbance involving two groups of people. The victims were taken to a Longview hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police say Sasser was visiting a Kilgore College student when the disturbance occurred. Sasser is a known criminal gang member, according to officials. Continue reading Suspect Identified in Kilgore Shooting

TYLER — A pilot executed an emergency landing on Runway 1-7 at Tyler Pounds Regional Airport Monday afternoon. Airport officials say he got out of the plane safely with no reported injuries. He was the only passenger. Operations will continue normally at the airport but Runway 1-7 will be closed for cleanup until further notice. Earlier, airport staffers had been keeping an eye on the twin engine Piper Cheyenne as it experienced difficulty getting its left side landing gear in place and the pilot circled the field to burn off fuel.

LONGVIEW – The Longview Police Department is searching for a person involved in a hit-and-run accident. On Saturday, October 14, around 2:00 a.m., police say the driver of a vehicle was traveling westbound on West Tyler Street near the High Street intersection, possibly leaving a parking space, lost control, and struck a white truck parked on the south side of the roadway. KETK reports the collision caused the white truck to be knocked into the front of the Lumpkin Motorsports business causing significant damage to the building. The driver of the vehicle then drove away from the scene without calling police. If you have any information regarding this incident, please contact Officer Mike Grisham at 903-239-5516. Tipsters can remain anonymous by contacting Gregg County Crime Stoppers at 903-236-7867.

LONGVIEW – Due to an electrical transformer malfunction Monday morning, Longview Independent School District suspended high school classes for the rest of the day. All Longview High School students were released at 12:55 p.m. There was no immediate word on whether classes would be back in session Tuesday. For more information you’re asked to contact Longview High School at (903) 663-1301.

TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in TxDOT’s Tyler District this week. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure, or other unforeseen issues. Motorists can expect some changes to the traffic flow on the US 175 Phase II Project in Henderson County, which runs from 1.1 miles east of Loop 60B at Larue to .85 mile east of FM 315 in Poynor. The easternmost access to FM 315 and downtown Poynor will be closed beginning Thursday, remaining closed until at least November 10. Motorists are to use the westernmost access for FM 315 and Poynor. Go to http://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/media-center/local-news/tyler/052-2017.html for additional information on projects throughout the district.

HENDERSON COUNTY — A Christian flag continues to fly over an East Texas school over objections from an atheist group. No action was taken at the latest LaPoynor school board meeting. Three people spoke up in favor of keeping the flag. The Freedom from Religion Foundation filed a complaint. The organization’s Sam Grover calls this an open and shut case. The LaPoynor superintendent says they may take up the issue at the next board meeting.

LONGVIEW — A new distribution center could soon bring hundreds of jobs to one East Texas city. Longview is in the running to house a new Dollar General Distribution Center, which could bring with it as many as 400 new jobs and also a 700 million dollar impact on the city over the next 25 years. The Longview Economic Development Corporation says the proposed project would create a 1-million square foot facility in the city’s north business park. If built, it would be the 17th distribution center in the Dollar General supply chain.

TYLER — Tyler Police said a two vehicle wreck early Sunday morning left a 19-year-old dead and another man injured. It happened around 1:10 on Paluxy Drive, just north of Coaches & Cowboys. According to the police report, a 2014 GMC Sierra, driven by Dakota Payne, 27, Diana, was traveling northbound on Paluxy when he drove into the southbound lane striking a 2000 GMC Yukon head-on. The driver of the Yukon was identified as Cody Allbright, Flint. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Payne was transported to Christus Trinity Mother Frances Hospital by EMS with unknown injuries.

SMITH COUNTY — Early voting in Smith County began today. The election will include a Smith County Bond for road and bridge projects, elections for the cities of Arp and Whitehouse, and several statewide Constitutional Amendments. Early Voting will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, October 23-27; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. October 30 through November 1; and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. November 2-3. Election Day is Tuesday, November 7. The Smith County Commissioners Court called a $39.5 million bond election. If approved, the money received from the bonds would be used to pay for major county road and bridge projects over three years – Phase I of a two-phase, six-year Road and Bridge Capital Improvement Project. Details of the plan can be found on the county’s website page, https://www.smith-county.com, along with an educational video about the road bond. Continue reading Early Voting Begins

GREGG COUNTY — Gregg County jury selection set for Monday has been canceled. Residents who received a summons to report Monday may disregard it. Their names will be reshuffled into the database for future jury service.

LONGVIEW — The Longview Police Department is investigating after a man was found dead from a gunshot wound. According to the KETK, on Saturday morning around 4:55, police responded to a welfare check call at 1507 Oden Street. Officers found the body of Lee Arthur Gray 47, of Logansport, Louisiana. Gray had been shot and was pronounced dead at the scene. The resident, Lloyd Johnson Jr., 32, of Longview, went to a local hospital after receiving non-life threatening injuries from Gray. Investigators interviewed Johnson regarding the shooting death of Gray. and arrested him for unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He has not been charged with murder. This is the third homicide in the past seven days for the city of Longview.

EAST TEXAS — A Bullard man has been charged with robbing the Home Depot in Longview at gunpoint and authorities say he could be connected to a similar heist in Tyler. According to the Longview News-Journal and KETK, Santiago Galvan Jr., 19, of Bullard, was held Friday on $95,000 bond after Longview police said he displayed what turned out to be a fake handgun to a Home Depot employee Oct. 6 before leaving the store with a shopping cart full of tools. Authorities at the Cherokee County Jail confirmed that Galvan was arrested Oct. 12 by Texas Department of Public Safety troopers and was charged with the Gregg County aggravated robbery as well as newer charges in Cherokee County of obstruction/retaliation and possession of marijuana. Continue reading Bullard Man’s Arrest May Solve Numerous Armed Robberies

ATHENS – A memorial service has been set for an East Texas man who went missing following an oil rig explosion in Louisiana. According to KETK, Autry’s Carroll-Lehr Funeral Home says visitation for Timmy Lee Morris, 44, will be held on Sunday from 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m., at the First Presbyterian Church in Athens. A memorial service is slated for 3:00 p.m., following the visitation. On October 15, an oil rig exploded on Lake Pontchartrain, just west of New Orleans. Eight people were on an offshore platform when it exploded. Seven were able to make it to shore and were hospitalized. Timmy Morrison’s body was found about 3 miles from the platform location, west of the St. Charles and Jefferson Parish Line. A helicopter found him on the shoreline around 1 p.m. Friday. Morrison was born in Tyler. He was a resident of Katy, but was raised in Athens, which he considered his home.

LONGVIEW — Several streets are closed to allow for the Rockers Riders and Ribs event Friday and Saturday in downtown Longview. Street closures have been done in phases in preparation for the event.

Street closed from 8:00 a.m., Friday, October 20 – 2:00 p.m., Sunday, October 22:

Methvin Street from Green Street to First Street Continue reading Downtown Street Closures for Rockers Riders and Ribs

AUSTIN – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department recently completed a report regarding a fatal sailboat accident on Lake O’ the Pines that resulted in the deaths of three Boy Scouts. The report was prepared by Texas Game Wardens who responded to this incident and by the agency’s statewide boating accident reconstruction and mapping team that handled the investigation. A TPWD statement says although TPWD has received a request for this report from the media, there are specific laws about what information TPWD can release regarding accidents involving juveniles, and to whom that information can be released. To ensure compliance with these laws, TPWD says it has requested an opinion from the Office of the Texas Attorney General. Continue reading TPWD Issues Statement Regarding Fatal Sailboat Accident Report

GILMER — A Gilmer carnival worker is accused of operating a ride while drunk. KETK reports it happened at the East Texas Yamboree. Gilmer police got a complaint about 63-year-old Darrell Wayne Clayton. He flunked a field sobriety test and blew nearly twice the legal limit on a breathalayzer. Chief Mark Case says Clayton was running the merry-go-round. Case says this is a first for his town. Clayton was booked into jail and charged with assembling or operating an amusement ride while intoxicated.