KTBB News, Weather, Talk

PLANO – A Dallas convicted felon has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Antonio Detravion Woodard, Jr., 24, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison on July 13, 2026.

According to information presented in court, on January 10, 2025, Woodard called for a Lyft and upon arrival, pulled out a gun and told the driver, “this is a robbery.” Woodard asked the driver for access to his Cash App and Wallet. Upon inspection, Woodard discovered that the driver had no cash. Woodard was upset and demanded the victim to “not tell the police what happened.” The driver was able to hit the safety feature in his Lyft app and local law enforcement responded.

Further investigation revealed Woodard was a convicted felon and prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms. This case is part of a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to stop illegal immigration, and eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations. The effort protects communities from violent criminals. This case was investigated by the Plano Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.

OTTAWA (THE TEXAS TRIBUNE) – Canada has suspended several animal exports from Texas due to concerns about the New World screwworm, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is immediately suspending the export of horses, pigs, cattle, bison, sheep, goats, deer, elk, moose, llamas and more. Imports from other states are permitted, provided the animals have not resided in or passed through Texas during the 21 days immediately prior to their arrival in Canada.

The USDA stated in a news release on Tuesday that its accredited veterinarians must include information on whether the animal resided in or was transported through a state affected by New World Screwworm, and that exporters/shippers have been advised that this is required; otherwise, the shipment will be refused entry into Canada.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced in a news release that it will continue to work closely with its United States counterparts to assess developments and adjust measures as needed.

“While our colder climate is not hospitable for the long-term establishment of the fly in Canada, they can survive shorter periods of time in the summer months,” the CFIA stated in the news release. “Taking this action now is an appropriate risk mitigation measure to prevent its introduction and protect animal health.”

The decision comes after an infestation of flesh-eating flies was confirmed in South Texas in June, setting off alarm bells for the state’s cattle industry.

Since then, the New World screwworm has continued to infiltrate livestock and other animals in Texas, with 34 confirmed cases as of July 10.

The Texas Animal Health Commission identified a potential cause last month: small wildlife and rodents, such as armadillos, opossums, and rabbits.

Until then, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins has pointed to multiple causes, including border policies under President Joe Biden and the illicit movement of cattle at the hands of drug cartels.

However, the source of the first case of New World Screwworm remains under investigation, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Other health experts say it’s still undetermined what allowed the invasive pest to finally breach the Texas-Mexico border.

The USDA closed all southern ports of entry to livestock imports from Mexico in May 2025 and has kept them closed since then, preventing cattle from legally crossing into the U.S. from Mexico.

Experts project that 500 million sterile flies are needed weekly to eradicate the pest, and at the moment, the U.S. government is producing about 100 million every seven days out of a facility in Panama.

That capacity is set to expand, but not enough to reach the 500 million threshold. And other technologies officials hope to pair with fly sterilization are not yet ready for deployment or are the subject of disagreement, leaving the Trump administration and Texas officials without a speedy path to eradicate the threat.

The original copy of this article is post at The Texas Tribune.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas (KETK) — Nacogdoches ISD is entering a new era of leadership, as four skilled and familiar faces take on principal roles to continue strengthening and supporting the education of the students.

In July, the Nacogdoches school district announced that four campuses, including the high school, will be under the leadership of new principals this upcoming school year.

At Nacogdoches High School, the home of the dragons, longtime educator Shawn Lucena will be taking over as the next principal, with a focus on preparing students for success after graduating with the CTE program.

“The focus is student learning,” Lucena said. “Everything that we do – extra-curriculars, certifications – will be gauged by that.”

Lucena has been directly involved in the Career and Technical Education Department for the past two years as the director, working to make student achievement in the classroom a cornerstone at the school. He’s been involved with the district for almost 20 years in many roles, including as a teacher and assistant principal.

In the elementary campuses, Melinda Wiebold was named the Emeline Carpenter school and Tammy Pankratz is back at Mike Moses.

Wiebald has shown a streak of success in Nacogdoches in her previous role as the principal of Fredonia Elementary. In six years, she raised the campus from a low-performing score to a B rating from the Texas Education Agency.

“I’m thrilled to be back on campus and look forward to a great year at Carpenter,” Wiebold said. “We’ve got a great facility, great staff and students who can do exceptional work, and I’m grateful to be a part of that for the new year.”

Over at Mike Moses, Pankratz returns as principal, bringing experience as an administrator and executive director. She’s familiar with the campus as an alum and her extensive career with the school in many different roles.

“Tammy Pankratz has an extensive background in school and district administration, and I’m excited for her to be back at Mike Moses Elementary,” Nacogdoches ISD Superintendent Grey Burton said. “Her expertise and knowledge as an educator will be a benefit to the students and staff at Mike Moses Elementary.”

Margie Chumbley Academy for Success will be led by Tena Hill, who is transitioning from her assistant principal role after former principal James Adams was named assistant superintendent of the district.

Hill has decades of experience in education, with the last 16 years working with the school district. From teacher to principal, Hill is a great fit for the campus, the district said.

“She’s been there supporting the students and staff at the school,” Burton said. “Ms. Hill has a love and appreciation for the students at Margie Chumbley and will continue the progress already being made there.”

BIDDEFORD, Me. (AP) – The term weaponized vehicle has become commonplace at news conferences and in statements released by federal officials during the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

Federal authorities initially used that language Monday when talking to state officials about the actions of a Maine driver who was fatally shot by immigration officers. In public statements, Department of Homeland Security officials shifted their description to say officers fired into the vehicle “fearing for public safety.”

It was the second time in a week that federal immigration authorities shot and killed someone behind the wheel of a car, initially accusing the driver of attempting to ram into immigration officers.

But while the weaponization of a car is often used to justify the use of deadly force against a driver, the legal definition is a lot less clear cut.
Courts agree cars can be considered weapons

In numerous state and federal courts, judges have agreed that vehicles can be considered weapons when they are used to inflict harm. But many of those cases have been considerations of whether enhanced charges such as aggravated assault with a deadly weapon can be levied against a person after an injury or death was already caused by a vehicle.

Many state laws that address assault with a vehicle are designed to enhance manslaughter or other charges against people violating traffic laws or driving requirements. Judicial opinions have largely focused on crimes of negligence, road rage or driving while intoxicated, and in rare instances, cases where someone purposefully drove their car into a crowd of people.

They rarely deal with the question faced by police or federal law enforcement officials of when a moving vehicle should be considered a dangerous weapon, and when that allows for the use of deadly force.
Training often says to move rather than shoot

Many law enforcement departments and agencies weigh the potential for unintended harm heavily when instructing officers or agents on when it’s acceptable to fire a weapon at a moving vehicle.

Many department policies tell officers to move out of the way of a vehicle rather than shoot because of the potential harm to bystanders who could be struck by unintended gunfire or by a careening vehicle if the driver is incapacitated.

Policies often say a suspect fleeing is not enough justification for using deadly force. Some require another weapon such as a firearm being used as a threat from the person in the vehicle to establish a clear threat to public or officer safety.
Experts say many factors determine when a car is weaponized

Exceptions exist in many use-of-force policies for what became a familiar scene abroad and at times in the U.S. — a person driving a vehicle into crowded public streets to inflict as much damage as possible.

But, experts say those exceptions have been used as a defense in situations where a person was not posing the same level of threat.

They say officers and juries should consider factors such as the speed of the vehicle, whether there are large gatherings of people on the sidewalks or nearby, and the reason for the initial police interaction. For example, a person fleeing an armed robbery at a bank might pose a higher danger than someone fleeing a traffic stop.

Update: Former Uvalde school police chief Pete Arredondo was due to appear in federal court Tuesday, but the hearing was abruptly postponed due to heavy rain and flooding in parts of Texas, and a new date has not yet been scheduled, according to ABC News.

UVALDE ABC) — Former Uvalde, Texas, school police chief Pete Arredondo is due in federal court Tuesday as part of his push to compel federal agents to testify at his trial for allegedly endangering students during the response to the Robb Elementary School mass shooting.

Arredondo is charged with 10 counts of endangering students for allegedly failing to quickly respond to the May 24, 2022, shooting, in which 19 students and two teachers were killed.

Arredondo filed a civil lawsuit this year to compel 19 U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees to testify during his criminal trial, which is set to begin on Feb. 22, 2027.

Arredondo’s attorneys have argued the testimony is vital for him to have a fair trial.

“The testimony will not only be material to determining whether he alone is responsible for the delay, it will also be helpful to show that Mr. Arredondo is not personally responsible for many shortcomings or any delay of CBP agents as part of the law enforcement response,” defense attorney Paul Looney wrote in a court filing.

This year, Looney filed a formal request to make the agents available to testify at trial, arguing that the accounts of the agents who stormed the classroom where the shooter was barricaded is necessary to prove Arredondo was not responsible for the botched response. Uvalde District Attorney Christina Mitchell has sued to compel similar testimony, but CBP declined the requests to facilitate the testimony.

CBP Chief Counsel Andrew Block said in court filings that the testimony is not necessary for Arredondo’s defense, could be sought through other means, could impact CBP operations, and may result in the disclosure of “confidential law enforcement techniques and procedures.”

“You seek testimony from 19 CBP employees, which would require CBP to make all 19 officers available before and during the trial, pulling them off duty, incurring travel costs, and lost work hours, which negatively impacts CBP operations and national security,” Block wrote.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

ANGELINA COUNTY, Texas (KETK)– A Lufkin city attorney was appointed on Monday by Gov. Greg Abbott as the new judge of the 217th Judicial District Court in Angelina County

Kristi Skillern will be entering the position, replacing Judge Robert Inselmann, who recently announced his retirement after serving as the 17th District Court judge since 2015.

Skillern enters the position after winning the Republican Primary runoff this past May against Stephen Walker and will begin her tenure once Inselmann’s officially concludes at the end of 2026.
Family still searching for missing Gilmer man after 20 years

Prior to becoming a city attorney, Skillern served as in-house counsel for State Farm Insurance and as defense counsel for Stradley & Wright and Smith and Knott PC. Skillern also holds a law degree from St. Mary’s School of Law and is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the American Bar Association.

Outside of her judicial career, Skillern is an active member of the Lufkin community, serving as a volunteer for the Salvation Army and the First Baptist Church of Lufkin.

POLK COUNTY, Texas (KETK) — The Texas Department of Public Safety is seeking any victims of a person who allegedly impersonated law enforcement and conducted traffic stops in Deep East Texas.

DPS is actively investigating reports they’ve received of a police impersonator in the area. The person allegedly conducted traffic stops while driving an unmarked black 2022 Jeep Gladiator on U.S. Highway 190 in Walker, San Jacinto and Polk counties.

DPS told KETK News that they are still working to identify the suspect.

Anyone who believes they have been pulled over by a person driving the 2022 Jeep is asked to contact the Conroe DPS Criminal Investigations Division by phone at 346-260-9824 or by email luke.williams@dps.texas.gov.

HOUSTON COUNTY (KETK) — A Houston County driver was arrested on Sunday after law enforcement allegedly found synthetic urine and cocaine in his vehicle.

The Houston County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to Highway 19 South near Lovelady after receiving reports of a reckless driver and a suspicious person. When they arrived, a deputy detained the driver, who was showing signs of being in medical distress.

Before towing, the vehicle was checked, where they found a Tylenol bottle containing suspected cocaine residue and a bottle that appears to have a bottle of synthetic urine, the sheriff’s office said.

Witnesses said the driver crossed into oncoming traffic, forcing another driver to leave the roadway to avoid a head-on collision. The suspect then allegedly exited his vehicle and attempted to open the doors of other vehicles and would run into oncoming traffic while saying people were trying to kill him.

Once arrested, the suspect was identified as Sergio Ortiz, who was first taken to a medical center before being taken into the Houston County Jail.

Ortiz has been charged with: Possession of a controlled substance, reckless driving and possession of a substance designed to falsify drug test results

“We encourage anyone who observes reckless or suspicious activity to immediately contact the Houston County Sheriff’s Office so deputies can respond and help keep our community safe,” the Houston County Sheriff’s Office said.

BEAUMONT – A Houston man has pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking violations following a Homeland Security Task Force investigation in the Eastern District of Texas, U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs announced. Indolfo Hernandez, 36, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn on July 10, 2026.

According to information presented in court, in January 2024, law enforcement began investigating a drug trafficking organization that was distributing large amounts of methamphetamine throughout Texas and neighboring regions. The organization, based in Houston and operating within the Eastern District of Texas, was led by Hernandez. During the investigation, law enforcement seized more than 16 kilograms of methamphetamine that had been distributed by Hernandez and his co-conspirators.

This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic inter-agency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders.

In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. Hernandez faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison at sentencing. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of an investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.