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LUFKIN — A Nacogdoches man charged with capital murder in the June death of a 1-year-old Lufkin girl is in the Angelina County Jail. The charge against Tarus Roshawn Arnold, 33, stems from the death of Unity Mitchell. Mitchell arrived at Woodland Heights Medical Center by ambulance on June 14 not breathing. She died the following day at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston of a massive head injury. Arnold, the boyfriend of Unity’s mother, had been babysitting while she was at work. Continue reading Man Charged with Killing Girlfriend’s Baby

LONGVIEW – An electrical malfunction caused some smoke which set of the fire alarms at the Gregg County Courthouse shortly before 4:45 Friday afternoon. The fire alarm alerted the jail staff to a problem on the 7th floor in the Gregg County South Jail Facility. Some jail inmates were relocated. As a precaution, inmates housed in two adjoining areas were moved as well. The fire alarm system worked as designed and in addition to notification, the evacuation fans removed the smoke from the building. Sheriff’s department Public Information Officer Joshua Tubb said there was no sign of flames or fire. All inmates were rehoused in their assigned areas prior to 6:00pm.

LONGVIEW – A young boy has been injured in a Longview shooting. The seven year old was hit in the arm after a couple of men fired several shots. Investigators say the boy was hit as the men fired toward a house on Douglas Street. The boy is being treated at a Longview hospital. We’ll have more information when it becomes available.

WHITEHOUSE- A three vehicle accident on Highway 110, south of Whitehouse, has killed Murray Clark, 51, of Whitehouse. Clark was killed when a car driven by Dante Roberson, 17, of Troup served into Clark’s Lane and hit the motorcyclist. The car then hit a pickup driven by David Hutton, 51, of Whitehouse. Roberson is in critical condition at a Tyler Hospital. Hutton was treated and released. The Department of Public safety says the accident, which was reported shortly after 6:15 Friday morning, remains under investigation.

LONGVIEW – LeTourneau University has named Dr. Benjamin W. Caldwell as Associate Provost for Academic Administration. His responsibilities include faculty development, support of the provost’s university-wide oversight of academics, and special projects within the provost’s office. He will also oversee the Margaret Estes Library, the Office of Sponsored Programs, and the department of Accreditation and Quality Assurance. Caldwell has served for the past five years as assistant professor in LETU’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. Prior to teaching at LETU, Caldwell taught engineering courses at Clemson University.

LONGVIEW – A Gregg County jury found Deion Frazier Reed, 21, of Longview, guilty of murder. He was sentenced him to 60 years in prison. Reed becomes the third person sentenced in the 2012 shooting death of DeAundrey Rossum, 23, at Longview’s Signal Hill Apartments. Reed’s brother and one other man have already been sentenced in the case. Rossum, who was carrying $1,700, was killed after driving three three to Shreveport and then back to Longview on a failed drug run.

MARSHALL – Marshall police are trying to identify five persons responsible for stealing from Wal-Mart. The three men and two women entered the store on East End Boulevard North around 2:00am on July 21st. After filling their carts with around $2,000 in merchandise, they left through an emergency exit without paying. They drove off after loading the items in tan colored GMC Yukon. Marshall police believe group may be from the Shreveport area. You can go to https://www.facebook.com/MarshallHarrison-County-Crime-Stoppers-1704018289857844 the Marshall/Harrison County Crime Stoppers Facebook page, to see video of the suspects.

WASHINGTON – “Kari’s Law” – a bill that would require businesses with multi-line telephone systems to have direct access to 9-1-1, with no extra digits, has passed in the U.S. Senate. The bill is named in honor of Kari Hunt, who died four years ago in a Marshall hotel room after being stabbed by her estranged husband. Her daughter tried to call for help, but didn’t know know to dial an extra 9, before dialing 9-1-1, to reach an outside line. The legislation previously passed in the house, where it was filed by Tyler Congressman Louie Gohmert. The two measures must now go to a conference committee to reconcile the differences before going to the president’s desk for his signature.

TYLER – The new dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Texas at Tyler is Dr. Javier Kypuros. The announcement was made Friday by Dr. Amir Mirmiran, provost and vice president for academic affairs at the school. Dr. Kypuros comes to Tyler after serving as associate dean of academic affairs within the College of Engineering and Computer Science for the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. He replaces Dr. Michael McGinnis who served as interim since January of last year.

ATHENS – A LaRue teenager, stopped for a traffic violation, has been arrested on drug charges. Brady Burnett, 18, was stopped on County Road 4402 for a headlight problem. A search of the vehicle turned up suspected methamphetamine. He was booked into the Henderson County Jail for possession of a controlled substance.

SMITH COUNTY — Two Smith County Deputies are recovering after undergoing transplant surgery. According to KETK, Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith said Thursday, Deputy Sherman Dollison received a kidney from Detective Josh Hill. Dollison was shot numerous times in the 2005 Smith County Courthouse shooting. “Sherman Dollison, who was then a court security officer for the sheriff’s office, was severely injured,” Sheriff Smith said. Twelve years later, doctors revealed to Dollison he was in need of a kidney transplant. In a twist of fate, his partner, Hill, was a match.

SMITH COUNTY — A motorcyclist was killed in a three-vehicle wreck on Highway 110, south of Whitehouse, around 6:30 Friday morning. According to KETK, reports indicate a car heading south swerved into oncoming traffic, causing the wreck involving a motorcycle and a truck. The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene. The other two drivers were taken to the hospital. Their conditions are not known. Identities have not been released.

LUFKIN (AP) — An East Texas minister and his family have been convicted of using hurricane relief funds to pay off personal expenses and fund operations of a 40-member Jasper church. Walter and Rosie Diggles and their adult daughter, Anita Diggles, were all found guilty Thursday of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Walter Diggles also was convicted of two counts of theft of federal funds, 11 counts of wire fraud and three of money laundering. Rosie Diggles also was convicted of 10 counts of wire fraud and one of money laundering. U.S. District Judge Ron Clark will determine the family’s sentences. Continue reading Family Found Guilty of Using Relief Funds for Personal Use

KILGORE – The Teachers of the year for the area have been announced. The Elementary Teacher of the year is Rachel George in the Marshall ISD. The Secondary Teacher of the year is Kathleen Brown of the Palestine ISD. The Announcement comes from the Region Seven Education Service Center in Kilgore. The two educators will now will represent Region 7 as semifinalists for the 2018 Texas Teacher of the Year Award. Continue reading Two Area Teachers in the Running for State Awards

LONGVIEW – The serving of a search warrant in Longview has resulted in the arrest of Cameo Cornelius Phillips, 33, of Longview. The narcotics search warrant was served by city and county officers on Faircreek Drive. They found found drugs and a handgun during the search. Phillips is charged with possession of marijuana, and the manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance. She remains in the Gregg County Jail under bonds totaling $76,000.

DALLAS – A man wanted for sexual assault in Harrison County has been arrested following a chase in Dallas. Kameron Deshon Maxfield, 22, was arrested earlier this week following a chase that reached speeds up to 100 miles an hour. He was arrested after wrecking his car and a brief foot chase. According to KETK, He is wanted in Marshall after being accused of sexually assaulting his girlfriend back in April. He is also said to have run over her after she got out of his car at a Marshall service station.

TYLER – Another Tyler traffic signal box has been decorated. Keep Tyler Beautiful has added the box at South Broadway Avenue and West Grande Boulevard to its collection. Sponsored by Texas Star Title and Loans, the box features a photograph of an East Texas sunrise over a lake. You can go to http://www.KeepTylerBeautiful.com to get more information on the program.

EAST TEXAS – Texas Senator Ted Cruz will be making stops in Tyler and Kilgore on Friday. The senator starts with a visit at Skeeter Boats in Kilgore at 10:00am. He is scheduled to visit Tyler Junior College at 11:30. The stop includes a visit to the Robert M. Rogers Nursing and Health Sciences Center. This will be followed by with a roundtable discussion with faculty, staff and students of the school. The final stop will be at the general offices of Brookshires on the West Southwest Loop at 1:30.

Two separate traffic stops have resulted in drug arrests in Henderson County. William Allen Henderson, 55, of Athens, was stoped for a traffic violation near La Rue. After finding an open alcohol beverage, the deputy searched the vehicle. A small clear plastic baggie containing crystal like substance believed to be methamphetamine and a pipe commonly used to smoke the drug were found. Henderson was arrested for possession of a controlled substance. Continue reading Two Busted for Drugs in Henderson County

LONGVIEW – A Longview man, Breylon Drachan Fountain 23, has been arrested following a Wednesday night shooting incident on East Whaley Street. Fountain was arrested by a Longview officer who heard a gunshot. He then found Fountain standing besides a swimming pool and holding a gun. Fountain had confronted two persons in the pool when he fired into a nearby wall. Either a fragment of the bullet or wall hit someone, causing a minor injury. Fountain is in jail on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

TYLER — Tyler police search for a suspect after a woman said she was held at gunpoint and sexually assaulted. It happened around 10:00 last night in the area of Beckham and Erwin. The woman said she was confronted by a black male with a gun and forced behind a building where she was assaulted. The suspect’s described as early 20’s, close to 6′ and thin. His face was covered and he fled on foot. Continue reading Woman Sexually Assaulted at Gunpoint

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK — A former Longview doctor has died after going missing at a National Park. According to KETK, the Grand Canyon National Park issued a notice asking for the public’s help in locating Dr. Sarah Beadle, 38, of Fort Worth. Her body was recovered by a search team Wednesday afternoon. Dr. Beadle was a former doctor at CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Medical Center in Longview before joining the Baylor Emergency Medical Center in Keller. The National Parks Service said Beadle had reservations to stay at Phantom Ranch August 1, but never arrived. Her backpack was found near the junction of the South Kaibab Trail and the River trail later Tuesday evening. Continue reading Former Longview Doctor Found Dead at National Park

TYLER – One man remains in the hospital following a Tuesday afternoon plane crash. The two men involved were treated at East Texas Medical Center in Tyler. They were identified by the Department of Public Safety as Joshua Daniel, 36, of Bullard and Jamie Jackson, 33, of Tomball. Jackson, a flight instructor, was treated and released. Daniel, a student pilot, remains at ETMC in serious condition. The single engine aircraft crashed near U.S. Highway 69 north of Mount Selman. An FAA spokesman told KETK that the plane had departed from Tyler Pounds Regional Airport. According to a city of Tyler spokeswoman, the plane stopped in Tyler for fuel. Continue reading Student Pilot Remains in Hospital Following Plane Crash

TYLER – A Tyler church has been hit by gunfire. The shots struck the Higher Heights Baptist Church on the Van Highway around 8:30 Wednesday night. Church members inside the building say the heard the gunshots outside the church. Several bullet holes were found. No one was injured.

TYLER – Smith County Habitat for Humanity is expanding its home buyer program. In the past, it was designed for families whose household income fell within 30% to 60% of the average mean income of Smith County residents. It will now include families whose household income falls within 60% to 80% of the AMI. The agency is currently accepting applications. You can call 903-595-6630 for more information.

WASKOM – A one vehicle accident in Harrison County has killed Sharon Hyde Chaney, 55, of Karnack. The Department of Public Safety Reports her vehicle left the road and ran into a ditch before hitting several trees. The report says her car was traveling at an unsafe speed when the accident occurred. It was reported around 10:45 Tuesday evening on Farm Road 134, about 5 miles northwest of Waskom.

TYLER — A Gilmer man who police said had more than 110 grams of methamphetamine, guns and a host of other drugs at an Upshur County house has been indicted by a federal grand jury. Shundarrell Vondrake Cain, 45, has been charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm during drug trafficking and felon in possession of a firearm. KETK reports federal prosecutors are also seeking criminal forfeiture of at least $10,000 stemming from drug sales and seven guns.

TYLER – A shooting on North Englewood in Tyler around 5:00 Tuesday afternoon sends a man to the hospital with a bullet wound to his thigh. A Tyler police report said the injury was not life threatening. His name has not been released. No charges have been filed and the case remains under investigation.