KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — An East Texas congressman gives thought to repopulating humanity in space and wonders how many gays should be on the trip. Congressman Louie Gohmert, Tyler, commenting on the house floor concerning the expansion of rights for transgender and gay people, contemplates a doomsday scenario in which a colony of humans are sent to live on another planet. Gohmert said, “God made people male and female, with no question marks.”

NACOGDOCHES — Nacogdoches officials are investigating an early Monday morning accident that has left three people dead and one critically injured. According to KETK, the accident happened around 1:30 on East Starr Avenue, near the intersection of Glen Hollow Street. The investigation indicates that a car, driven by Chace Scruggs, was traveling east on Starr Avenue when it left the roadway and struck several trees. The vehicle then caught fire. Scruggs, Rajeen “Ray” Williams and Geena Zarick (pictured) were pronounced dead at the scene. A fourth person, Trent Haynes, was taken to a local hospital in serious condition. All are currently, or were recently, enrolled in SFA.

OVERTON – One person is in custody in connection with a homicide in Overton. It happened shortly before 7:00 Saturday night on East Henderson Street. Killed was Carol Park, 52. Her husband, Nathan Park, 42, has been charged with the shooting. He was first picked up on an unrelated charge. He was later charged with murder. The investigation into the shooting is continuing.

LUFKIN – There is a new arrival at the Ellen Trout Zoo in Lufkin. The Zoo’s Facebook page says the zoo’s two-toed Linne’s sloth’s gave birth to a baby last Tuesday. They can be found in the Small Animal Building near the entrance to the zoo. The zoo’s staff says the baby may be hard to see because she naturally holds onto her mother or father. During this time, the parents tend to curl up in a ball to hide the infant.

TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in the district during the Weeks of May 30th. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues.

SMITH COUNTY – Tyler Maintenance plans to perform base repairs on SE Loop 323 between 9:00am and 3:00pm, Tuesday and Wednesday. Another crew will conduct edge work on Farm Road 1253. Expect lane closures in both work zones with flaggers directing traffic. Continue reading TxDOT Road Work

LINDALE – A two vehicle accident on Interstate Highway 20, 7 miles west of Lindale has killed two persons. It happened around 1:30 Saturday morning. Killed were Andrew Steven Caban and Rhonda Richardson, both of Wills Point. Their west bound van ran into the rear of a Peterbilt truck-tractor towing a semi-trailer. The driver and passenger in the van were pronounced dead at the scene. The truck’s driver and passenger were not hurt.

EAST TEXAS – Two fatal accidents have been reported in East Texas.

A two vehicle accident on Interstate Highway 20, 7 miles west of Lindale has killed two persons. It happened around 1:30 Saturday morning. Killed were Andrew Steven Caban and Rhonda Richardson, both of Wills Point. Their west bound van ran into the rear of a Peterbilt truck-tractor towing a semi-trailer. The driver and passenger in the van were pronounced dead at the scene. The truck’s driver and passenger were not hurt.

In Rusk County, two persons were killed in a two vehicle accident on U.S. Highway 259. It was found around 4:00 Saturday morning. The crash involved a truck-tractor semi-trailer and a pickup truck. The roadway was shut down during the investigation and was reopened around 5:30. The victim’s names have not been released.

LONGVIEW – A Longview teacher has been removed from the classroom pending an investigation. The school district took the action following the arrest of John Derr. The middle school teacher was arrested on Tuesday for harboring a runaway. The district confirmed the action and the fact that the student is not enrolled with LISD. Sarah LeBus, communications officer for the Longview School District said, “In order to protect the integrity of the investigation, as well as the privacy of the child and family, we can make no further comment at this time.”

MT SELMAN – A man with ties to Bullard and Troup, and wanted by Cherokee County authroities for kidnapping, has been arrested. Trenton Salmon, 23, was arrested shortly before 3:45 Friday afternoon at a home in Reklaw. Captain John Raffield with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department says Salmon has been taken to the Cherokee County Jail. He is being charged with aggravated kidnapping and interference with emergency request for assistance. Continue reading Cherokee County Kidnapping Suspect Arrested

WINNSBORO — Winnsboro police say they will present the Madison Cannon case again. The case, prosecuted by the Texas Attorney General, was no-billed this week by a Wood County grand jury. According to KETK, no information was ever disclosed on the person or people prosecuted, and no arrests or persons of interest were ever publicly released. Continue reading Winnsboro Police to Present Madison Cannon Case Again

LUFKIN – A Donald Trump campaign sign has led to the arrest of a Lufkin man on charges of public intoxication. It started when Joshua Monroy, 21, went home with a man he met at a party. When Monroy saw the Donald Trump sign in his yard, he became combative and tried to fight. Monroy was told to leave. He was later found asleep in the man’s vehicle. Police woke him up, charged him with public intoxication and took him to the Angelina County Jail.

QUITMAN – Four persons have now been arrested in connection with a Wood County home invasion that injured a teenager. The 16 year old was stabbed Tuesday as he was fighting with one of the men who broke into his home near Quitman. He was not seriously injured. Taken into custody early Friday in the case were 18 year old Quancell Richie of Fruitvale (pictured) and 18 year old Kemond Montral Harris of Mineola. Previously arrested were Lawrence “Flow” Herron of Mineola and a Hispanic male juvenile. Most of the items stolen from the home have been recovered.

TYLER — For the second time this month, a Tyler radio personality has been arrested on drug charges. Patrick Aaron Aguirre, 39, known as “The Brain” on the station “The Breeze,” was arrested at his home shortly before 11:15 Thursday morning. Tyler Police say the latest arrest follows a six-month long investigation. Aguirre has been charged with engaging in organized criminal activity and manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance. He was booked into the Smith County Jail with bonds totaling $850,000. Aguirre was previously arrested at his Becky Drive home on May 4th and charged with possession of marijuana. On top of everything else, Aguirre has been fired by Waller Media. Continue reading Radio Personality Charged with Organized Criminal Activity

JACKSONVILLE — A two vehicle accident in Cherokee County has killed an Anderson County woman. The crash occurred shortly before 1:30 Thursday afternoon on Highway 135 about a mile east of Jacksonville. Dead at the scene was Kayla Tucker, 18, of Palestine. The Department of Public Safety reports Tucker lost control of her car on the wet highway. Her car spun into the opposite lane of traffic and collided with a SUV driven by Russell Gideon, 48, of Frankston. He was not injured.

TYLER — The Faulkner Park entrance at Cumberland Road was suppose to reopen this week. But, because of weather delays, it will remain closed for two more weeks, until June 8th. The entrance was closed because of the ongoing construction for the Cumberland Road extension. Construction includes removal of the median at this entrance, reconfiguration and striping of the intersection, widening of Cumberland Road, asphalt paving and concrete paving. The parking lot entrance will remain open for the Faulkner Park ball fields. Until the Cumberland Road entrance is reopened, traffic will need to detour to exit and enter at the Faulkner Park southern entrance at South Broadway.

QUITMAN – Two persons are in custody and two are being sought in a Wood County home invasion that injured a teenager. The 16 year old boy was alone when his home was broken into and he was stabbed fighting with one of the suspects. He was treated and released from the hospital. The suspects took two televisions, a computer and a rifle and fled. Following up leads, authorities arrested Lawrence “Flow” Herron of Mineola. He has been charged with felon in possession of a firearm and aggravated robbery and organized criminal activity. A Hispanic male juvenile was later arrested in the Mineola area. KETK reports Investigators have identified two additional suspects and warrants have been issued for their arrests.

TYLER — Three local students are among the first recipients of the Trooper Javier Arana Jr. Memorial Scholarship. They gathered at the the Texas Department of Public Safety Tyler Regional Office to receive the award. The scholarship was created in honor of Arana, who was killed in the line of duty in 2012. The first local recipients are James Jackson of Troup High School, Jenna Stanely of Canton High School and Jaylon Seastrunk of Longview High School. Jackson plans to use the scholarship funds towards a degree in law and will be attending UT-Tyler, Stanely plans to study Psychology at Texas State University and Seastrunk will be attending UT-Arlington studying Pre-Med. Continue reading New Scholarship Going to Three Area Students

LONGVIEW — Students at Kilgore College-Longview got a late start on classes Thursday. A blown transformer near the campus knocked out power to nearly 300 customers, including the college. AEP Southwestern Electric Power Company repaired the problem and the doors to the college were reopened.

AUSTIN — The State Board of Education has recognized 15 Texas public school students as Student Heroes for their outstanding volunteer efforts at their schools and communities. One of the students is from Smith County. He is Drvyer Cowart, a second grader in Lindale. He had one wish for his birthday, to help area foster children. He asked his family and friends to raise money for Together We Rise, a non-profit that works with foster children in Smith County. The $2,000 that was raised was used to purchase duffle bags that he and his guests decorated. They were then filled with a blanket, stuffed animal, toiletries and other items.

TYLER — Police are seeking leads in a Thursday morning bank robbery in south Tyler. According to KETK, Public Information Officer Don Martin says two thieves hit Citizens National Bank on W. Grande Boulevard near Old Jacksonville Highway. According to police records, officers were dispatched to the report at 10:07 a.m. Police say they may have found the suspect vehicle, described as a four-door silver Chevrolet with Oklahoma plates. One of the two robbers is described as a black male who is 5 feet 6 inches tall and wearing dark clothes, a hood, and camo face paint. No description is available of the second person. Police said the black male robbed employees at gunpoint as they put cash in an exterior ATM.

TYLER — A man indicted in a 2015 Longview bank robbery is set to take a plea Friday at a hearing in federal court in Tyler. Patrick Terry Gilbert was indicted in November on charges of bank robbery; using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence; felon in possession of a firearm; and possession of an unregistered firearm in the Oct. 23 robbery of Capital One Bank in the 1100 block of Judson Road. Gilbert is accused of robbing the bank with a shotgun while wearing a mask from the movie “Scream.” Attorneys in the case notified the district court Monday that a plea agreement was reached, and a hearing is set Friday morning in Tyler.

GLADEWATER — A Gladewater teenager has been taken into custody after reportedly shooting his father. According to KETK, officers responded to a home on Ferry around 3:00 Wednesday morning and found Noel Garner Sr. with a gunshot wound. Officials said he was shot by his son, Noel Garner, Jr.,19. Garner, Sr. was shot in his face but was able to give officers details of what happened. His injuries were not life-threatening. Garner, Jr. fled the scene before officers arrived but was found a short time later. He was taken into custody without incident and has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

CUSHING — In an argument over a woman, one person is injured and one is in custody in a drive by shooting in Nacogdoches County. It happened around 1:30 Wednesday morning on County Road 971, northwest of Cushing. After diving by the victim’s home several times, and becoming involved in a traffic accident with the home owner, the suspect is said to have driven by an and fired several shots. The homeowner wasn’t there, but a man in the backyard was wounded. He’s being treated at Nacogdoches Medical Center. Sheriff Jason Bridges says the suspect, William Hyde, 26, of Nacogdoches, was arrested at his Cushing area home. A shotgun, thought to have been used in the attack, was found hidden in nearby woods. Hyde was booked into the Nacogdoches County Jail on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

LONGVIEW – The public is being asked to help identify a man responsible for thefts around East Texas. He is wanted for questioning in connection with thefts at Wal-Mart stores in Longview, Kilgore and Marshall. The thefts were reported between May 8th and 17th. In each case, the suspect entered the store in the morning, filled a shopping cart with electronics, and then leaves through an emergency exit. He has been seen driving a red pickup, a silver or gold Firebird and a gold Saturn. If you know this man, you are asked to contact authorities.