Authorities: Suspect Shot Dead after Pointing Gun at Officers


HALLSVILLE — A 44-year-old Longview man was shot and killed by a sheriff’s deputy early Tuesday morning after authorities say he pointed a gun at three law enforcement officers in a standoff that lasted nearly six hours. That’s according to KETK and the Longview News-Journal. Harrison County Sheriff’s spokesman Jay Webb said two Hallsville police officers and one Harrison County sheriff’s deputy were dispatched at about 2 a.m. Tuesday to Lansing Switch Road in connection with a family disturbance.

Webb said when officers arrived, Richard Owen Dean had a gun and barricaded himself in a motor home. Webb said after Dean denied the deputies’ attempts to speak with him, he continually pointed the gun at his head and made threatening gestures with the weapon toward the law enforcement officers. Deputies then fired a shot, killing Dean. Webb said the Harrison County deputy was placed on administrative leave while Texas Rangers investigate. He was unsure whether the two Hallsville officers were placed on leave.

Jail Sentence for Intoxicated Assault

ANGELINA COUNTY — A Matagorda man who critically injured a Lufkin man in a drunk driving accident last year will serve time in prison. Cecil Brannon, 50, was sentenced to 10 years in prison last week for intoxicated assault causing serious bodily injury. With the charge against him being a third-degree felony, Brannon received the maximum sentence but is to be considered for shock probation within 180 days.

Brannon is responsible for the Nov. 6 wreck that critically injured 61-year-old Koshy Alexander. Alexander was taken to Memorial Medical Center-Lufkin following the accident in front of Winston 8 Ranch and then airlifted to Memorial Hermann Hospital. Alexander was traveling north on U.S. Highway 59 when his white Honda CRV was struck by Brannon. Brannon, traveling south on U.S. 59, lost control of his vehicle after slamming on his brakes to avoid rear-ending a vehicle in front of him. He then went into the northbound lane, hitting Alexander’s car head-on.

Brannon has a history of DWI and DUI in Matagorda County dating to 1990.

Warrants Issued for Three Suspects

JACKSONVILLE — Jacksonville police obtained a warrant for the arrests of three men suspected of brutally assaulting Jose Arredondo in his vehicle as his family watched July 6. Arredondo and his family identified Jimmy Upshaw, 28, Jarvis Glenn, 25, and Jonathan Duke, 22, as the alleged suspects. Officers say after a reward for information was offered, an anonymous tip was called in. Authorities say the men have extensive histories with police.

Longview Wildfire Under Control


LONGVIEW – Longview firemen have contained a grass and woods fire off Toler Road. The fire, which had threatened a construction and an oil field site, was reported around 1:15 Monday afternoon. Longview fire officials called in extra units to battle the blaze near McWhorter Park. Volunteers from the White Oak Fire Department, along with the Texas Forest Service, helped bring the blaze under control. No word on what caused the fire.

Longview Wreck Kills One


LONGVIEW – An Upshur County man has died in a weekend traffic accident in Longview. Killed was Franklin Walton, 87, of Gilmer. The accident happened just after 2:45 Sunday afternoon in the 3200 block of Dundee Road.

Investigators say the accident began when a Ford Expedition driven by Raina Romero, 32, of Longview, veered into oncoming traffic to avoid hitting another vehicle that had stopped in front of her. Romero’s vehicle hit head-on a vehicle driven by Jerri Fort, 44, of Gilmer. Walton was a back seat passenger in Fort’s vehicle. The drivers of both vehicles were hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries. The accident remains under investigation.

Car Kills Woman on Golf Cart


MAUD – A northeast Texas woman has been killed when the golf cart she was driving was hit by a car. Killed in the weekend accident was Correne Cox McKeever, 82, of Maud. The Saturday morning accident happened on Farm Road 2149. The Department of Public Safety says the woman had used the golf cart to check her mailbox. She was hit by the car when she tried to turn the golf cart around in the road.

Tyler Shooting Investigated


TYLER – No injuries were reported in a drive by shooting at a Tyler apartment complex. It was reported around 8:30 Monday night at the Varsity Place Apartments on Varsity Drive. Witnesses say someone drove through the complex shooting. Some shell casings were found in the apartment’s parking lot. The investigation is continuing.

Activists Seek Action from Perry on Illegal Immigration


AUSTIN — Texas Tea Party groups want Governor Perry off the presidential campaign trail long enough to pursue a crackdown on illegal immigration. They’re dropping off letters signed by thousands at Perry’s office. The groups want him to call another special session or sign an executive order saying police have the power to enforce immigration laws. Among those applying the pressure: Smith County activist JoAnn Fleming. “This simply sets free law enforcement free to enforce law,” says Fleming. “That word really means something. It is the reverse of illegal.” Fleming says she can’t believe an Arizona-style crackdown hasn’t already happened here.

FEMA Aid Available for Gregg County Wildfire Victims


LONGVIEW — Gregg County residents who suffered housing-related damages from recent wildfires can now register for assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. According to KETK, FEMA sent crews to Northeast Texas after five counties were added to a Domestic Assistance Declaration this past Friday. The other four are in the Houston area. “It applies to homeowners, people that rent or businesses,” FEMA spokesman Bill Lehman said. “The critical thing to pass on to people is that … FEMA assistance covers people who are uninsured or under-insured.”

The assistance includes reimbursement for hotels or other temporary housing, repairs to homes and items that are not covered under insurance policies. The assistance does not apply to property damage other than to residences, Lehman said.

Marshall Tax Ratification Proposal Defeated

MARSHALL — The Marshall Independent School District suffered a big blow Saturday, when a tax ratification proposal was defeated by a two-to-one margin. Only about 10% of the district’s registered voters took part in the election, with 66% of those voting against the tax increase. MISD Board President Helen Warwick says the defeat will mean tough cuts within the district, likely including jobs. The district suffered a $2.4 million dollar cut in state funding during the recent legislative session.

Van Zandt County Crime Stoppers Gives Out $2,600 in Rewards

CANTON — Anonymous callers who provided valuable tips that led to the arrests of six individuals in the last two months have been given rewards totaling $2,600 by the Van Zandt County Crime Stoppers. Rewards ranged from $600 for an arrest on a manslaughter warrant to $100 for a bad checks warrant. Four of the six arrests were of individuals listed on the county’s Top 10 Most Wanted list.

The $600 reward was for a tip that resulted in the arrest of a Ben Wheeler man on separate warrants for manslaughter and drunk driving. The man is accused of beating another man to death. There were two $550 tip rewards, one for the arrest of a Wills Point man wanted on a sexual assault charge and another for arrest of a second Wills Point man who had been sought on a charge of assaulting a public servant.

Two awards, for $400 each, went to the anonymous callers whose tips led to the arrest of a Wills Point woman on two counts of fraud and engaging in organized crime, as well as of a Gun Barrel City man accused of stealing six saddles. Authorities say the saddles, worth about $3,000, were taken from a First Monday Trades Days vendor — and that the suspect had his girlfriend try to pawn them in Gun Barrel City. The $100 award was for the arrest of a Fruitvale man who had been sought on 10 warrants for writing bad checks.

“Crime Stoppers is working more effectively than ever,” said Andy Flowers, president of Van Zandt County Crime Stoppers. “In the past five months, we have paid out nearly $5,000 in rewards and helped take nearly a dozen criminals off the street. Because the calls to the Crime Stoppers tip line, 903-567-7867, are always kept completely confidential, people know they can turn in criminals and never have to worry about being identified. The callers win, because they get rewards for their tips, and we all win when fewer criminals are out walking the streets.” Go to http://www.vanzandtcrimestoppers.org for more information about Crime Stoppers.

Authorities: Rain Doesn’t Make Outdoor Burning Okay


TYLER — Authorities issue a renewed warning about outdoor burning. Tyler Deputy Fire Marshal James Suggs says the small amount of rain that’s fallen apparently entices people to think such burning is all right. But Suggs says it’s not, and is in fact still illegal in Smith County and nearly everywhere else in the state. Suggs tells KETK everyone needs to continue exercising caution.

Officials say illegal burns continue to be a dangerous issue within Smith County, and the fire marshal’s office is advising the public that all violators will be issued citations. According to a Smith County news release, all types of ground burning fires, including those for trash or brush, are strictly prohibited and will result in being ticketed. Outdoor grilling is only permitted within a fully contained cooking device which must be supervised at all times. The news release says the sheriff’s office has worked with volunteer fire departments and the fire marshal’s office to put out, investigate and write citations for illegal burns throughout the county in the last week or so — and will continue to do so as fire-prone conditions are expected to continue throughout the month.

Three Busted for Drugs in Nacogdoches County

NACOGDOCHES — Three people are arrested in Nacogdoches County over the weekend and charged with possession of a controlled substance. According to KETK, Lavina Whiteside and Billy Husband were arrested at a home in Kingtown. They’re charged with a second-degree felony. Kevin Meek, 22, also arrested after authorities found him near the home, sleeping in a tent. Deputy constables discovered ten grams of crystal meth at the home along with several firearms, digital scales, and other drug paraphernalia.

Closing Arguments in Trial of Wife of Ex-Okla. Warden

MANGUM, Okla. (AP) – A prosecutor says a former Oklahoma prison warden’s wife wanted “fun and excitement” when she allegedly helped a convicted killer escape from prison. Greer County Assistant District Attorney Eric Yarborough made his closing argument in the trial of Bobbi Parker. The 49-year-old Parker is charged with helping convicted killer Randolph Dial escape the Oklahoma State Reformatory in Granite. Parker’s husband was deputy warden. Bobbi Parker and Dial disappeared Aug. 30, 1994. They were found living on a chicken ranch in Campti, Texas, in 2005. Prosecutors say Parker fell in love with Dial, became his mistress and helped him escape. Defense attorneys say Dial kidnapped Parker and held her hostage by threatening her family. Closing arguments at trial were expected to take all of Monday.

Suspected Arsonist Sought

WOOD COUNTY — Wood County Sheriff’s authorities are searching for a 41-year-old Winnsboro man in connection with a home that was set on fire Friday afternoon. According to Wood County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Jerry Blaylock, deputies were dispatched to the 300 block of County Road 4400 in Winnsboro at just after 3:15 Friday afternoon in connection with an assault and arson. Blaylock said a victim and witness told authorities that James Roy Henson had been “acting strange all day and took a torch and set the victim’s house on fire while she and a friend were at the residence.” Blaylock said Henson was facing charges for arson and assault.