KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — Smith County is soliciting opinions from residents about their road concerns and suggested improvements. According to a news release, it’s part of the county’s commitment to strategic planning and to ensure the county road infrastructure remains solid for decades. Following Commissioners Court approval on Tuesday, residents can begin providing input by going to http://www.smith-county.com and submitting their comments electronically through an e-form. The Commissioners Court is also planning several public open houses to gather input. Continue reading Input Sought on Smith County Road Plan

TYLER — A man accused of breaking into a Tyler restaurant has been taken into custody. An alarm at the Lindo Mexico Restaurant, on Gentry Parkway, sounded around 5:00 Tuesday morning. Arriving officers said the building was broken into and that the suspect had fled. After reviewing the security video with the owner, officers were able to locate the suspect a short distance from the restaurant walking down the street. Andre Lamont Coker Jr., 21, was detained and searched. Officers found a gun in his waistband, several types of illicit narcotics and evidence from the restaurant. Coker was charged with burglary of building, possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and three warrants out of Smith County Sheriff’s Office.

WOOD COUNTY — A former East Texas jail administrator has been sentenced to prison. According to KETK, ex-Wood County Jail Captain David McGee has been sentenced to two years in prison for his role in helping an inmate escape the Wood County Jail and tampering with government documents. McGee resigned back in February amid an investigation into inappropriate contact between the former administrator and an inmate. During the course of that investigation, McGee was arrested by the Texas Rangers and charged with two counts of tampering with evidence. He was booked into jail and later released on bond. Continue reading Former Jail Administrator Sentenced to Prison

SULPHUR SPRINGS — The trusty that escaped from the Hopkins County Jail Tuesday morning is back in custody. According to the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office, Barney Ebey, 53, escaped while performing work at the Hopkins County Civic Center just after 8:00. He was arrested in Henderson County Tuesday night after a manhunt through a wooded area. The person responsible for driving the get-away vehicle was arrested Tuesday afternoon. Ebey was initially incarcerated for a charge of engaging in organized crime related to the theft of heavy equipment.

LINDALE – Lindale police are looking for a man who is accused of leaving a store without paying for what he had. He is said to have walked out of the Brookshire’s in Lindale without paying. He may be doing the same thing at the Brookshire’s in Mineola. There is no vehicle description available. If you recognize the man, you are asked to contact Lindale police.

REKLAW – A one vehicle accident on a wet Rusk County road has killed a Galveston man. Dead at the scene was Austin Guilmette, 19. The DPS report said he was heading south of Farm Road 839 north of Reklaw at an unsafe speed. His pickup left the road as he exited a curve, and hit a tree. The accident occurred just before 9:00 Monday morning.

LONGVIEW – Longview police have arrested a Panola County man for trying to cash a forged check. Officers were called to a bank on East Whaley. That’s where they found Blake Ryan Stanford, 21, of Carthage. He told officers that he and another person had done some yard work for someone. He said the other person drove him to the bank and gave him a check. Stanford said he forged the check owner’s name on it and was attempting to cash the check for $100. He was charged with forgery and booked into the Gregg County Jail.

GILMER – An Upshur County woman has been found guilty of attacking a woman with a cooking pot. Francis Bailey Clark, 77, of Big Sandy, was found guilty of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. She was was sentenced by the judge to five years in prison, probated for two years, along with community service and anger management. It all started in January 2016 when she confronted a woman about money she felt was owed her. Clark is said to have injured the woman when she hit her with a large heavy metal cooking pot. She claimed self-defense. The jury didn’t buy it.

JACKSONVILLE – The couple involved in a fatal train accident in Cherokee County has been identified. Killed in the June 13th incident was Michael Matthew Heiskell, 28, of Pampa. The woman, who was injured, is Shelby Laws, 26, of Conroe. The two had been riding on top of a Union Pacific freight train. Both were knocked from the train. The man fell off near Jacksonville. The woman was able to hold on, and jumped off when the train slowed down in the Troup area. She suffered a broken leg. Investigators say the two met in Austin where they traveled together to San Marcos, where they jumped on the train. The train, which had originated in Laredo, was carrying autos to Chicago.

GILMER – An Upshur County man has pleaded guilty to killing his stepfather. Clinton Ray Allen, 45, of Gilmer entered the guilty plea in state district court in Gilmer Tuesday morning. He was sentenced to 45 years in prison. He was charged in the April 6th shooting of James Earl Robertson. He was found with a gunshot wound to his head in his home on Holly Road, southwest of Gilmer. Following his arrest Allen told officers that he shot his stepdad because he had talked bad about his dead mother.

TYLER – Smith County Commissioners learned about the community of Bullard during Tuesday’s commissioners’ court session. Mayor Pam Frederick, who gave the presentation, believes Bullard is a shining star in East Texas and is proud to be a part of its progress. The presentation was part of the commissioners’ Connecting Communities initiative. The city was formed in 1867, but became known as Bullard in 1883. Mayor Fredreck says the town has seen a slow shift in focus over time. The mayor said from 2000 to 2010, Bullard experienced 114% growth in its population, and it is on track to have the same increase by the next Census. From 2010 to 2017, the city has grown 62.4%, to about 4,000 residents. Continue reading Bullard Highlighted Before Smith County Commissioners

TYLER — Tyler Police are asking for the public’s help in locating several suspects wanted for theft. According to authorities, on June 6th, three suspects attempted to steal a Snapper zero turn riding mower from the front of the garden center of Walmart on Hwy 64 West. An employee noticed the three attempting to load the mower into the bed of a blue pick-up truck. The suspects dropped the mower and fled after the employee yelled at them. The three suspects returned to the same location June 24, cut the lock on the Snapper mower, loaded it into the bed of the truck and left. The retail price of the mower is listed at $2,696.00. Anyone with information is asked to contact Dt. Craig Shine at Tyler Police Department at 903-531-1090 or call Tyler Smith County Crime Stoppers at 903-597-2833.

MARSHALL – Their was a promotion ceremony Monday afternoon at the Marshall Police Department. Officer Cory Adkinson was promoted to sergeant. He has been with the Marshall Police Department since 2011. He began his law enforcement career in 2011 with the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office as a Detention Officer. He left Gregg County to put himself through the Kilgore College Police Academy. During his police career in Marshall, Adkinson has worked in many capacities. He is currently assigned to the Patrol Division. He is a Field Training Officer and a member of the Marshall Police Department SWAT team.

LUFKIN – A Nacogdoches man is heading to federal prison because of drug trafficking violations. Jon McNeely, 24, was sentenced in Lufkin Monday by U.S. District Judge Ron Clark, to 20 years in prison. He had pleaded guilty in March to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to federal prosecutors, McNeely was a major methamphetamine trafficker in Nacogdoches and Angelina counties. His drug trafficking organization was responsible for distributing over 15 kilograms of methamphetamine in the area.

LONGVIEW – A Marshall man has been indicted in Gregg County in a February murder. The district attorney’s office announced on Monday Darrell Wayne Wilson, 58, has been indicted in the February death of Ivory Neil Wilson, 57, of Longview. Her body was found in her apartment after officers had been sent there on a welfare check. Officers had been told that no one had been able to get in touch with the woman for several days. After running down numerous leads, officers were able to arrest Ivory on April 28th. He remains in the Gregg County Jail under a $250,000 bond.

PALESTINE – The preliminary autopsy report on the body of a Palestine woman shows the death to be a homicide. The body of Ricki Deann Taylor, 46, was found Friday night in a remote location between Grapeland and Latexo in Houston County. She was last seen last Wednesday night, and reported missing on Thursday. Taylor’s family members posted on Facebook that her blue Ford pickup was found in Willie Myers Park in Palestine with damage and that it looks like it had been forced off the road. The preliminary report said she died from a gunshot wound to the head. Palestine police say the investigation is ongoing and that detectives are pursuing all leads, with the assistance of the Texas Rangers. Continue reading Homicide Investigation Underway in Palestine Woman’s Death

PALESTINE – A second person killed in an Anderson County fire has been identified. The Anderson County Sheriff’s Office says Amanda Beth Corson, 40, of Palestine was the second person killed in a June 18th fire. It occurred on County Road 2901 Southwest of Palestine. The fire also killed Casey Lee Williamson, 41, who lived at the residence. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined. It remains under investigation by the sheriff’s department and the state fire marshal’s office.

TYLER — The Better Business Bureau has notified the Tyler Police Department that it’s received numerous phone calls from citizens about a caller claiming to work for the Tyler Police Department and asking for a donation to the organization. According to a news release, the Tyler Police Department will not solicit any monetary funds over the phone. If you get one of these calls, police say do not donate money — just hang up. Continue reading Tyler Police Issue Scam Alert

ATHENS – Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse says two deputies stopped a Flint woman Sunday night and discovered a substantial amount of suspected methamphetamine she tried to hide in their patrol vehicle. Rachel Rush, 33, was arrested after 10 p.m. at the intersection of FM 315 and County Road 4201 after the deputies first discovered a small amount of illegal drugs, pills and needles in her vehicle, according to Hillhouse. After her arrest, she was seen on the squad car’s camera removing a concealed item from her clothing and placing it between the rear seat and the backrest. A clear, plastic baggie containing approximately 9 grams of suspected methamphetamine was logged in as evidence in the case along with the other contraband and paraphernalia. Rush faces charges of possession of a controlled substance and possession of a dangerous drug.

LONGVIEW — 43-year-old Robert Earl Jones Jr. of Longview has died after being struck Thursday around 9:30 p.m. by a vehicle on South Green Street. When officers arrived, witnesses told them Jones was trying to cross the street on foot in front of an oncoming car and did not allow enough time to get across the street. KETK reports the car, driven by 18-year-old Delia Espinoza of Longview, struck Jones and knocked him onto the sidewalk. Jones was transported to Christus Good Shepherd Medical Center, where he died Friday night, according to the Longview News-Journal. No citations were issued.

KILGORE — Congressman Louie Gohmert recently announced that Kilgore College’s Upward Bound program will receive federal grants from the U.S. Department of Education totaling $1.28 million. According to a KC news release, the grant will provide funding for KC’s Upward Bound program for the next five years. That will allow KC to partner with 50 qualifying students each year from Kilgore, Longview, and Pine Tree high schools. Continue reading KC Upward Bound Program Awarded Grant to Continue Services

TYLER — Here’s a look at work planned in TxDOT’S Tyler District during the Week of June 26. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues. Slow down and pay attention when traveling through work zones.

Spot repair operations continue on I-20 in Smith County at various entrance and exit ramps, including at FM 757, and the mainlanes as well. Expect lane closures at all work locations. Once completed, operations move to Van Zandt County. Continue reading TxDOT’s Weekly Roadwork Update

PALESTINE — Four dogs are safe after being rescued from a condemned house in Palestine on Friday. KETK reports officers from the Palestine Police Department and Animal Control were notified that the dogs were wandering the balcony of the structure on W. Palestine Avenue. When officers arrived at the scene, they discovered there were no guard rails on the balcony, which put the dogs at risk of falling off. Neighbors told officers they believed the dogs were being fed; however, after searching for several hours, officers were unable to find their owners. After obtaining a search warrant, officers made their way inside the building to try and rescue the animals. They said they believed the dogs were using the balcony to escape the summer heat inside the structure. Continue reading Dogs Rescued from Condemned House

PALESTINE — Detectives from the Palestine Police Department located the body of Ricki Taylor, 46, Friday night in a remote location in Houston County. Taylor was reported missing on Thursday. KETK reports Taylor’s body has been transported to Dallas for an autopsy. Police say the investigation is ongoing and that detectives are pursuing all leads, with the assistance of the Texas Rangers. Anyone with information may call Det. Mark Harcrow or Det. David Kassaw of the Palestine PD at 903-729-2254 or anonymously send information via text message to PALPD, then the tip, to number 847411.

KILGORE — The Kilgore Police Department is asking for the public’s help locating a hit and run driver. KETK reports a truck crossing multiple lanes of traffic and T-boned a car in the area of Post Oak Road and Meadows Lane. The suspect vehicle is described as a red Dodge extended cab, possibly a 4×4, with black rims. Anyone with information is asked to contact Det. Dukes at 903-218-6904.

LONGVIEW — Longview Fire Department officials say a crew took four people to a hospital Friday after apparent use of synthetic drugs. A news release says the crew responded to Magrill Park on North Green Street. Upon arrival they found several people suffering from what are believed to be the effects of an illegal substance. Bystanders advised that the patients had been using potpourri, which is a form of synthetic marijuana. Besides those hospitalized, two other patients refused EMS transport.

LINDALE — Smith County and state officials are investigating an oil tank explosion that sent two men to Parkland Hospital in Dallas. According to a county news release, the blast happened on County Road 419 at about 10:30 p.m. Thursday. Deputy Fire Marshal Trey Glover was first on the scene and discovered an oil tank on fire. Glover also located two men with severe burns sitting inside their vehicle. Jeremy Hernandez, 30, and Aaron Archie, 25, both of Smith County, were airlifted to Parkland. Fire Marshal Connie McCoy-Wasson says officials talked with a family member and learned the two were listed in critical but stable condition. Lindale, Dixie, and Van Volunteer Fire Departments responded to the scene. The oil tank is owned by D-S-B Properties LLC. The county Fire Marshal’s Office and Sheriff’s Office are collaborating with the Railroad Commission of Texas in the investigation.

TEXARKANA, Texas – A 50 year old Avery, Texas man was sentenced to federal prison for crimes he committed in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston Friday. Bobby Wayne Lance was sentenced to a total of 1054 months Friday during a sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Robert Schroeder, III. According to information presented in court, Lance robbed a Bowie County convenience store, a Lamar County movie theater, and a Franklin County bank in a crime spree that spread over several days in November 2015. Continue reading Avery, Texas Man Sentenced for 2015 Northeast Texas Crime Spree

TYLER — Texas Democrats continue their efforts to address constituents’ needs and take back some political power, and a chance to hear from some of them comes today in Tyler. The East Texas Coalition of Black Democrats, a subsidiary of the Texas Coalition of Black Democrats, has scheduled a town hall meeting for 11:00 a.m. till 2:00 p.m. at Liberty Baptist Church, on North Broadway. Organizers say it will feature statewide candidates, elected officials, pastors, preachers, community activists, and law enforcement personnel. Among its key concerns, the coalitions list healthcare, Medicare, Social Security, jobs, education, mass incarceration, water supply, homelessness, college debt, and immigration.

TYLER – 19-year-old Kirby Tyrone Mabry of Tyler was arrested Thursday in Tyler for sexual assault of a child. According to KETK, police say on June 7, Mabry went to a location where he knew two unsupervised girls were spending the night. Police say Mabry had sex with one of the girls who was under the age of 16. Mabry was booked into the Smith County Jail Thursday afternoon. His bond has been set at $500,000.