KTBB News, Weather, Talk

MARSHALL — Harrison County authorities are preparing to release a man charged with a December 2011 murder. William Penn Jones Jr., 31, of Marshall, was arrested in Montgomery County in May of last year in the murder of Kenneth Dillard Jr., 22. His body was found near St. James Cemetery in Harleton. He had been stabbed repeatedly, investigators said. The Longview New-Journal is reporting that charges against Jones will be dropped and he will be released from jail due to insufficient evidence connecting him with the death.

EAST TEXAS — The list of counties that are under burn bans has grown by four. The latest counties added to the list on Monday are Anderson, Franklin, Houston and Hunt. The ten counties that had already been on the list are Camp, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Kaufman, Panola, Sabine, San Augustine and Shelby. The Hunt County burn bad is up for 90 days. The other burn bans are in effect until lifted.

ATHENS — A Henderson County fugitive, who had been on the run for ten years until he was arrested last year, will be spending time in prison for sexually assaulting two family members. On Monday, State District Judge Mark Calhoon sentenced Travis Wayne Jones, 51, to 33 years in prison.

KETK reports Jones was first indicted by a Grand Jury for indecency with a child by sexual contact in July of 2001. He posted bond and made a few court appearances before missing an August 2002 setting. He was indicted for another sexual assault by a Henderson County Grand Jury in November of 2003 while a fugitive and again in 2010. Jones was arrested in Arkansas in April of last year.

TYLER — A suspect in a Tyler shooting has surrendered to authorities. Officers have been looking for Rakheem Goldstein, 20, of Tyler, ever since he was named in an arrest warrant on Friday. He is believed to have been involved in the shooting death of Briana Raquel Young. State District Judge Jack Skeen has set his bond at $1,000,000. Police spokesman Don Martin says they were notified by the Smith County Sheriff’s Department that Goldstein, around 12:30 Monday afternoon, turned himself into the Sheriff’s Department. Tyler Investigators took Goldstein into custody at the Sheriff’s Department and booked him into Smith County Jail on the Murder warrant. Continue reading Tyler Shooting Suspect in Custody

GREGG COUNTY — Officials investigate an accident at a local business over the weekend. It happened around 12:50 on Saturday afternoon. Gregg County Deputies, the Longview Fire Department and the Gregg County Fire Marshal responded to the scene of an industrial accident at 1010 Cox Dairy Road. Three individuals contracted by Exxon / Mobil; 54 year old Kenneth Shahan of Center, 26 year old Brent Ellison and 25 year old Antonio Exner, both from Hawkins, were injured by an explosion at the oil field site. Continue reading Several Workers Injured in Oil Field Explosion

WOODVILLE (AP) – Authorities are trying to confirm whether a body found in a pickup truck is an elderly East Texas man with medical issues who was last seen in June. Lufkin police say a body discovered last week in Tyler County is believed to be 79-year-old Arthur Foster of Lufkin. Sgt. Mike Shurley says dental records and DNA will be used to identify the person. The Tyler County Sheriff’s Office in Woodville did not immediately provide an update Monday. The Lufkin Daily News reported Sunday that relatives have said Foster was diagnosed with diabetes, has heart issues and showed signs of dementia. Foster drove away from his Lufkin home on June 1. Security video from a convenience store showed he stopped at the business and then drove southbound on Highway 59.

GILMER — An Upshur County mobile home has been destroyed by fire and a fireman who fought the blaze was treated for heat exhaustion and released from the hospital. KETK reports the fire started just after 4:00 Sunday afternoon at a mobile home inside Holiday Village Mobile park, just off highway 154. The home owner was burning a tree stump when embers from the fire was carried by the wind to a storage area, which caught fire. The fire then spread to the mobile home.

TYLER — Still no trace of a suspect wanted in a Tyler shooting death. Police have obtained an arrest warrant for a suspect in the July 30th shooting death at P.T. Cole Park. Named in the warrant is Rakheem Goldstein, 20, of Tyler. He is believed to have been involved in the shooting death of Briana Raquel Young. State District Judge Jack Skeen has set his bond at $1,000,000. So far, authorities have not been able to locate him. Continue reading Tyler Shooting Suspect Still at Large

DALLAS (AP) — Dozens of mourners have attended a vigil for the four slain and four wounded in two Dallas-area shootings that are being blamed on one man. Dallas County Jail records show Erbie Bowser, formerly of Tyler, was being held Sunday on $6.5 million bond on three counts of capital murder and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Continue reading Dozens Attend Vigil for Texas Shooting Victims

NACOGDOCHES — Dozens of firemen have battled a large forest fire in Nacogdoches County. The weekend fire by Sunday afternoon, spread to 86 acres. The Texas Forest Service Tells KETK the fire started around Farm Road 226 and County Road 422 has been contained. It is believed the fire started from lightning from strong thunderstorms Saturday afternoon. No buildings were in danger and no injuries were reported.

SMITH COUNTY — The Dixie Fire Department battled a vehicle fire near Tyler Saturday afternoon. The fire started just after 1:30 in the 3900 block of County Road 1303. Firefighters on scene tell KETK a lawn mower caught fire inside the family’s garage. The fire then jumped to a vehicle inside the garage. The blaze was contained and put out before it could cause any major damage to the garage. Officials are investigating the origin of the fire. No injuries were reported.

GILMER— Power had to be shut down Saturday after a tree feel onto a power line, sparking a fire on Highway 155 near Gilmer. Gilmer firefighters tell KETK the fire started around 12:30 Saturday afternoon in a heavily wooded area near the highway, burning around 3 acres. Gilmer and the Texas Forest Service responded to the fire, and were able to contain and put it out before it damaged any structures. Power was shut off in the area and lanes were shut down for a short period of time as a precaution. No injuries were reported.

TYLER — Here’s a quick look at other work planned in the Tyler District of the Texas Department of Transportation.

TYLER – Construction crews from TxDOT contractor Big Creek Construction, Ltd., of Hewitt, are scheduled on Monday to begin several months of work to resurface and add turn lanes to Spur 364. Crews will be adding turn lanes to the entire roadway between State Highway 31 west of Tyler and Loop 323 in Tyler, and adding additional shoulder width to Spur 364 between Greenbriar Road and Loop 323. “This project is long overdue with all the growth we’ve been experiencing in Tyler and across East Texas,” said TxDOT spokesman Larry Krantz. “We’re outgrowing a lot of our highways around here, and Spur 364 is another example of that. We’ve pleased we’re finally able to address this longtime need.” Meanwhile, Krantz added, motorists should plan to encounter daytime lane closures and traffic controlled by flaggers and pilot vehicles. The $2.9 million project is scheduled for completion next summer. Continue reading TxDOT Project Updates

HALLSVILLE — Two Hallsville Firemen have been treated and released from Longview Regional Medical Center after being treated for heat exhaustion while fighting a house fire. The fire was reported around 11:15 Saturday morning in a rural area of Harrison County. The home was destroyed by the blaze. The cause of the fire has not been determined.

EL PASO (AP) — The attorney for Johnny Manziel says even if the NCAA investigation of the Heisman Trophy winner isn’t completed by the start of the season the quarterback should be able to play in Texas A and M’s first game. Jim Darnell, Manziel’s El Paso, Texas-based attorney, (pictured) says he has met with Manziel and his family, but provided few details about the status or nature of the investigation.

He did say he believed that Manziel would play August 31st when the Aggies open the season against Rice, but could not put a timetable on the case. ESPN has reported the NCAA is investigating Manziel for receiving payment for signing autographs, a violation of amateurism rules that could put his eligibility in question for the coming season.

JACKSONVILLE — Cherokee County authorities are asking for the public’s help in locating a man who they say injured a sheriff’s deputy. They are looking for Richard Ryan Cook, 42. He fled from a home on Farm Road 747 around 10:45 Friday morning. Continue reading Cherokee County Deputy Injured, Suspect at Large

ORE CITY — Fire has hit three homes in Ore City. The first of the Upshur County fires was reported around 3:00 Friday afternoon on Janis Street in the Sandy Shore addition. The fire is said to have started from a controlled burn that spread to a home. That fire spread to a second home and then spread to the third house. The first two houses have been destroyed. No injuries have been reported.

EAST TEXAS — Wulf Outdoor Sports is going out of business and closing its stores in Athens and Center. They started a going out of business sale on Friday. On the stores’ web page, Chief Executive Officer John Bell said; “We regret to inform you we have reached a decision to close our stores, our website and our business. We have served the East Texas outdoor sporting goods market for over 9 years and have made many wonderful friends.” The website also mentioned that anyone who is interested in buying furniture, fixtures or equipment, please see the store managers.

TYLER — Tyler police have obtained an arrest for suspect in the July 30th shooting death at P.T. Cole Park. Named in the arrest warrant is Rakheem Goldstein, 20, of Tyler. He is believed to have been involved in the shooting death of Briana Raquel Young. State District Judge Jack Skeen has set his bond at $1,000,000. So far, authorities have not been able to locate him. Continue reading Suspect Named in Tyler Shooting Death

LUFKIN — A Lufkin home has been destroyed by fire. But, because a 5 year old girl got her family up, no injuries were reported. The fire was reported shortly after 9:45 Friday morning in the 1400 block of Sayers Street. Lufkin Fire Marshal Steve McCool tells KETK the little girl woke her mother up after the smoke alarms did not sound. Everyone was able to escape safely. The fire is thought to have started in a bedroom. The cause of the fire has not been released.

LONGVIEW — Add Gregg County to the list of counties that have issued a burn ban. The burn ban was issued today to take effect immediately. Gregg County Judge Bill Stoudt tells KETK he thought about waiting until the first of the week to start the ban, but thought it would be better if it was issued now. Stoudt says Gregg County has reached 700 on the Keetch-Byram Index, a scale used to measure forest fire potentials. Besides Gregg County, other burn bans are in effect in the counties of Harrison, Henderson, Kaufman, Marion, Panola, Sabine, San Augustine Shelby and Upshur.

TEXARKANA (AP) — A judge in Texarkana has given a former northeast Texas police sergeant a week to decide whether to take a plea in an assault case where he’s accused of injecting his wife with animal-euthanizing drugs. David Horn is set for trial in September for the attack last year on his wife, Misty. Continue reading Ex-Officer to Consider Plea in Drug Attack on Wife

DeSOTO (AP/Staff) – More charges have been filed against the former Tyler man who police say fatally shot four people and injured four others in separate Dallas-area attacks. Erbie Lee Bowser was charged by Dallas police Friday with capital murder in the deaths of his girlfriend, Toya Smith, and her daughter, 17-year-old Tasmia Allen. He was also charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for wounding Smith’s 14-year-old son and a 17-year-old family friend. Continue reading More Charges Filed in Attacks that Killed Four

TYLER — The Tyler Fire Department dispatched its Hazardous Materials Team at 6:55 a.m. to a Hydrochloric Acid leak. Rock Water Energy, located at 12032 Hwy. 155 North, called for assistance with a leaking 55-gallon drum inside a building. Fire Dept. officials say the team contained the incident and remained on scene to assist workers with ventilation. There were no injuries. One engine, the Hazmat trailer, and a District Chief responded to the incident.

NOONDAY — A fire that struck a vacant mobile home in Noonday Thursday night is being investigated as arson. The Smith County Fire Marshal is looking into the blaze, which left only charred remains. KETK reports the fire broke out around midnight in the 17000 block of Hillside Drive. A couple walking along the road told investigators an unknown man approached them asking for a ride. They refused, and shortly after, the home was ablaze. Continue reading Noonday Mobile Home Fire Being Investigated as Arson

TYLER — Tyler Junior College trustees will hold a public hearing this morning at 11:00 on a proposal to increase tax revenues for 2013. College spokesman Fred Peters says the proposed tax rate of $0.199926 is the same as this year’s, “but by Texas law, we must hold hearings if it appears that property valuations will result in revenues exceeding the prior year’s.” Another public hearing on the same topic is set for August 15 at 5:30pm. Both hearings will be held in the Board Room of TJC’s White Administrative Services Center.

TYLER – Contract construction crews have completed work at the intersection of Front Street (SH 31) and Broadway Avenue. The work was to
repair a damaged storm drain that caused a sinkhole to form in the intersection on July 23. They had said the intersection would be closed until around 5:00 Monday morning or until the work was completed. The work was completed sooner since the crews worker 24 around the clock on the project since last Friday, removing the old storm drain pipe and replacing it with a new pipe, then repairing the roadway.

LUFKIN (AP) – A 51-year-old Lufkin man is back in a familiar place. Jail. Records show when Angelina County sheriff’s deputies Wednesday arrested John Richard Burch Sr., it was his 47th arrest. Burch appeared in court Thursday and pleaded guilty to resisting arrest. He’s still held on $1,500 bond. Lufkin TV station KTRE reports Burch’s record goes back to 1994 with a public intoxication arrest. He notched his second charge four days later for resisting arrest. Since then, jail records show he’s had wide range of misdemeanor and felony charges. He’s also had prison time. Continue reading Lufkin Man Arrested for 47th Time

LUFKIN (AP) – A man charged with capital murder for the weekend slayings of his ex-girlfriend and her daughter says he’s responsible for the Angelina County killings. Kevin McKelvey turned himself in and was arrested Monday night, a day after 39-year-old Teresa McCoy and her daughter, 22-year-old Shaunika Hoyle, of Lufkin, were shot to death. The 37-year-old McKelvey, in an interview with The Lufkin Daily News says he did the fatal shootings. He also says while he didn’t mean to kill Hoyle, he has no remorse for killing her mother, his former girlfriend. Hoyle was shot inside a trailer home. Her mother was shot while trying to escape the area in a pickup truck. Records show McKelvey has a previous conviction for attempted murder. He now could face a death sentence.

MT. PLEASANT — A man thought responsible for half a dozen church burglaries has been arrested by Mt. Pleasant police. Derrick Grayson Bowers, 26, of Mount Pleasant, was arrested on Wednesday based on forensic evidence found at two of the churches. The burglaries occurred between February 10th and March 28th. Bowers has been charged with six counts of burglary of a habitation.