KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — A second person has now been arrested in connection with a Monday night home invasion. Yesterday, Tyler Police Investigators arrested Torriunte Jacoby Pollard, 20, of Tyler. Bond was set at $150,000. Previously arrested in the case was Channing Javier House, 17. His bond is also $150,000.

Police say the incident happened around 11:30pm at the Dovetree Apartments at 1600 Rice Road. The victims say they thought a friend was at the door when three black males aged about 18 to 21, with bandanas over their faces, forced their way into the apartment. Victims told officers the suspects had a gun and rummaged through the apartment, taking an undisclosed amount of property before fleeing in an unknown direction. Investigators are still attempting to identify other suspects involved in the incident.

Anyone with information about the suspects involved in this crime or any felony case is urged to contact the Tyler Police Department, at 903-531-1000, or Tyler-Smith County Crimestoppers, at 903-597-CUFF (903-597-2833). Tyler-Smith County Crimestoppers will pay up to $1,000 for information that leads to arrests and charges filed against the suspects in this or any felony case

TYLER — Tyler Police say a reckless driving incident caused injuries to a pair of girls. According to press materials, police, fire and EMS personnel responded to the French Quarter Shopping Center located in the 4500 block of S. Broadway after learning the incident had occurred around 7:50 a.m. Wednesday.

Police were told that a 16 year-old driver pulled into the parking lot driving a pick-up and towing a small trailer with a 4-wheel ATV strapped down on the trailer. Two girls in the parking-lot, who were with other students, asked for a ride on the ATV while it was strapped to the trailer. According to police, the girls were riding on the ATV when the driver was observed driving too fast to negotiate a sharp turn in the parking lot. A strap securing the ATV broke and caused the ATV to flip off the trailer with the two girls on it. The girls were thrown to the pavement with the ATV falling onto one of the girls.

The girls were identified as Chelsea Rowland and Jessica Godfrey, both 15. Godfrey suffered abrasions with no serious injuries. Rowland was transported to East Texas Medical Center with cuts, abrasions and an internal injury. Police say the case has been referred to investigators for further follow-up.

TYLER – A second guilty plea in a Tyler federal court case involving oil field explosives theft. Brandon Keith Uzzel, 30, of Tyler pleaded guilty to an information charging him with theft of explosives from a federally licensed dealer. According to information presented in court, on September 25, 2009, Uzzel was involved in the burglary of a locked storage unit at Owens Oil Tools, a Tyler oil field equipment company. The secured storage unit contained approximately 400 pounds of explosives, which were taken from the property and hidden. All of the explosives have since been recovered and secured. Craig Elroy Knight, 34, of Tyler, pleaded guilty to the same charges on September 8. Uzzel faces up to 10 years in federal prison and is in custody pending sentencing.

MINEOLA (AP/Staff) — Investigators say a pilot inolved in an East Texas plane crash did not have a pilot’s license. The small plane crashed in a wooded area, slightly injuring the pilot. Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman Tom Vinger says the accident happened Wednesday morning near Mineola. Vinger says Mark England, 54, of Tyler sustained minor injuries in the crash of the Bearcat Airplane. The DPS has turned the investigation of the case over to the Federal Aviation Administration.

JACKSONVILLE — After several calls to the Police and weekend gang fights involving college students, Jacksonville residents beg for more security. Now, they may finally be getting it. According to KETK, President Miles McCall is laying down some rules, starting with a curfew at the Inn. It’s 11 p.m. on weekdays and midnight on weekends. Other security measures being taken are barricades to block off back entrances and more student expulsions. “One thing is in a small town like Jacksonville, things get more attention. It puts more burden on us to do a better job and we drop the ball sometimes.” The school is also hiring more security officials. Dr. McCall says they will expel any students involved in this week’s fights once police release names.

BUFFALO — A Tyler mail carrier has died in a two vehicle accident On U.S. Highway 79 in Buffalo. The accident, around 1:30 yesterday afternoon, occurred as the driver of a pickup was texting and hit the rear of a stalled 18-wheeler. Killed was Kerina Kaybee Bundy, 20, a passenger in the pickup. She was not wearing her seat belt. The Department of Public Safety reports she died about an hour after the accident at East Texas Medical Center in Fairfield. The pickup’s driver, Jourdon Shadoe Martin, 20, a mail carrier from Chandler, is listed in stable condition at the Fairfield hospital.

GARRISON — A Nacogdoches County man has died while trying to put out a fire that had gotten out of control. Authorities report finding the body of Bill Franklin Smith, 78. He was still holding a rake when his body was found yesterday afternoon on County Road 282 near Garrison. It is felt that he either suffered smoke inhalation or a heart attack. The fire, which spread because of the dry conditions, burned down Smith’s home.

WICHITA, KAN. (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department has targeted more than 60 hunters nationwide for allegedly poaching deer during guided hunts at a Kansas club run by two Texas brothers from Nacogdoches County. The scope of the grand jury investigation was revealed in a court filing in a related case involving the facility called Camp Lone Star.

The brothers are James Bobby Butler and Marlin Jackson Butler, both of Martinsville. A federal grand jury in Wichita, Kansas, returned a 23-count indictment against the brothers on May 25th. Federal prosecutors contend the two sold guided hunts to non-resident hunters for the purpose of illegally hunting and killing white-tailed deer and mule deer. Federal authorities say James owned the club while his brother served as a guide.

SCOTTSVILLE — Two workers have been injured in a small explosion at Penn Virginia Oil and Gas LLP, in the Harrison County town of Scottsville. The accident happened around 12:15 Tuesday afternoon as the men were welding on a damper device that was filled with a nitrogen bladder. Investigators say the explosion occurred when the device possibly overheated. One worker was airlifted to LSU Medical Center in Shreveport. The other worker is being treated at Good Shepherd Medical Center-Marshall. Their names have not been released.

TYLER — Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill White makes another visit to Tyler, this time to promote business growth. He stopped at Stanley’s Famous Pit BBQ to make his case. White supports re-examination of the Texas Enterprise Fund, created to support job creation projects. The former Houston mayor says many firms that took money from the fund have not added jobs. White says economic development money should be put in the hands of chambers of commerce, other professionals, and business people representing their regions — not the hands of politicians.

JACKSONVILLE — Some Lon Morris students have been sent packing following a weekend fight. KETK-TV reports Jacksonville Police responded to a fight at the Inn, which houses more than 300 Lon Morris students. The makeshift residency hall is the Best Value Inn on East Rusk Street. According to Lon Morris President Dr. Miles McCall, “We’ve already sent eight students home; It’s not that we’re not trying to do what we need to do. When you have a lot of kids, you have some that don’t behave right.” Following the incident, school officials enacted a curfew for students living at the inn. It’s from midnight to dawn on Fridays and Saturdays and 11:00pm till dawn on Sundays through Thursdays. McCall is also having a closed meeting with residents in the surrounding neighborhood this week, and he added that security is being increased in the area.

LUFKIN — A woman caught in the middle of a couple’s fight is still recovering. It happened in the 1400 block of Warrant Street Saturday. According to KETK, Lufkin police say the woman was visiting a friend when an argument broke out between the couple. At one point, police say, the woman tried to stop it, but the man got angry and hit her on the back of the head with a glass beer bottle.

JACKSONVILLE — Jury selection began Monday for a Jacksonville man accused of beating a toddler to death. According to KETK, Jamie Backshire faces capital murder charges. He allegedly hit 18-month-old Michael Alexander on his head, torso, arms and legs. His trial is underway today.

TYLER — Tyler Police make one arrest and continue to search for other suspects after a reported robbery Monday night. It happened around 11:30 at the Dovetree Apartments 1600 Rice Road. Police say the victim thought a friend was at the door, when the suspects forced their way into the apartment. The suspects reportedly had a gun and rummaged through the apartment, taking an undisclosed amount of property before fleeing the apartment.

Tyler Police Investigators now say they’ve been able to identify suspects in the case and Channing Javier House, 17, has been arrested on a charge of aggravated robbery. Judge Christi Kennedy, who issued House’s arrest warrant, set bond at $150,000. Investigators say they anticipate additional arrests. Anyone with information is asked to contact Tyler Police.

TYLER — Two persons are in custody in connection with an aggravated assault that occurred just before 7:00 Monday night in the area of Front and Glenwood. The victim told officers that a man assaulted him and threatened him with a firearm. The victim was able to provide a vehicle description, vehicle license plate and indicated that the suspect may live on Outer Drive. The suspect vehicle was located in the 1600 block of Outer Drive.

Officers identified two of the occupants of the suspect vehicle as Liwatha Moore, 49, and Lawetha Swindell, 29. Moore was transported to the Smith County Jail and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Swindell was transported to jail and charged with “false statement/report to a police officer, possession of marijuana less than 2 ounces and “assault A, from the earlier incident.