KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — One person is dead following a car crash on Friday afternoon on Highway 31 west, near Bellwood Lake Road. According to Tyler Police Department Public Information Officer Andy Erbaugh and our news partner KETK, the crash happened around 3:00. Erbaugh said both drivers were taken to a hospital, where one of them died. Additional details were not available.

TYLER — According to our news partner KETK, a man reportedly called 911 on early Thursday morning after reportedly attempting to rob a Tyler dealership but was unable to leave after sustaining injuries. The Tyler Police Department received a call at around 3:45 a.m. from a man who had broken into the Patterson Dodge dealership.

Officials later identified the man as Jeremiah Megallon. Megallon was taken to a local hospital and later transported to the Smith County Jail, where he was arrested for burglary of a building.

“He said he had broken into the Patterson Dodge dealership in an attempt to steal a car but was unable to get out of the building,” Erbaugh said. “He had cuts from breaking a window at the dealership and crawling through it.”

TYLER – Tyler ISD has confirmed that three former district employees have been arrested for allegedly injuring a student with disabilities. In a statement issued to our news partner KETK, Tyler ISD said the three employees were arrested and fired after an investigation into allegations of injury to a child, elderly individual or disabled individual.

The district’s superintendent Dr. Marty Crawford called the actions of the former employees unacceptable.

“We believe in being transparent with our community while respecting the legal process and student privacy. This situation involved a student with disabilities, and while it did not include sexual acts or severe bodily harm, we take any breach of student safety with the utmost seriousness. As soon as these allegations were brought to our attention, the district took immediate action—launching an internal investigation, notifying Child Protective Services as required by state law, and fully cooperating with law enforcement. These individuals are no longer employed by the district.”
Tyler ISD

Continue reading Former Tyler ISD staff members arrested for injuring disabled student

HAWKINS – An individual has been placed under arrest after one person was found dead in Hawkins on Friday, according to our news partner KETK.

After receiving a call regarding gunshots on Friday, Hawkins PD responded to the 100 block of N. Beaulah Street where a body was discovered. A suspect is now in custody and officials believe there is no threat to the public. Hawkins PD is not providing any further details at this time. The Texas Rangers have been contacted for assistance with the investigation.

Currently, the Hawkins Police Department consists of one police officer. Back in February, the department’s other three officers were fired by the Mayor of Hawkins Debbie Rushing, after she claims they were not hired appropriately.

TYLER – Our news partner KETK is reporting that State Senator Bryan Hughes, from Mineola, is leading the anti-abortion charge by filing Senate Bill 31, the Life of the Mother Act.

“This bill is to look at our pro-life laws and make the language even clearer, so there’s no question, no excuse when a mom presents with a medical emergency, she gets treated,” State Senator Bryan Hughes said.

In 2022, Texas passed an abortion law authored by an East Texas lawmaker. Over the last few years, doctors and women have expressed concerns and confusion on what’s actually included in the ban, and what the exceptions are. On Thursday, three pro-life bills were heard by the State Affairs Committee, which Hughes chairs. Lawmakers are hearing testimony from people for and against the bills. Hughes also filed Senate Bill 2880, the Women and Child Protection Act, which would try to hold people who send abortion pills to women in Texas accountable. He added that Texas is the first state to take the senders of these pills on through legislation. Continue reading East Texas Senator files bills to clarify abortion law

GREGG COUNTY – Our news partner, KETK, reports that a county jailer was arrested on Friday after Gregg County Officials said she committed credit card abuse while on duty.

According to a statement from the sheriff’s office, officials found evidence of Shalisha Mungia committing credit card abuse. She has worked as a jailer since July 2021, and was let go following the arrest and several policy and code-of-conduct violations.

Mungia was taken to the Gregg County Jail and has since been released after posting a $1,500 bond.

TYLER – Rain, thunderstorms, and lightning are forecast throughout East Texas for most of the next few days, putting several counties on high alert for possible tornadoes.

Our news partner, KETK, has compiled a list of counties placed on tornado watches and warnings. To view the full list of counties, and the forecast for the coming days, click here.

MARSHALL – Two East Texas men have died following a Thursday morning crash in Harrison County, the Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed.

According to a preliminary investigation, the crash occurred in Harrison County at around 5:05 a.m. at the intersection of State Highway 43 and Fyffe Cutoff. The crash involved a GMC Yukon, driven by Andrew Allison, 44 of Carthage, and a Chevrolet Silverado driven by Terry Ledbetter, 69 of Marshall.

DPS Sgt. Adam Albritton said Allison was driving westbound on Fyffe Cutoff when he disregarded the stop sign and entered the intersection of State Highway 43, where Ledbetter was driving and collided with him.

According to reports from our news partner, KETK, both men were pronounced dead and no passengers were reported to be in the vehicles.

TYLER – Our news partner, KETK, reports that a Tyler man was sentenced to 17 years in prison after swerving into oncoming traffic and striking another vehicle head-on, killing the driver.

According to the arrest affidavit, on the morning of August 14, 2024, Cesar Efrain Viramontes-Cocolan of Tyler was driving a pickup truck traveling westbound on State Highway 32 near FM 2908, when he swerved into oncoming traffic, killing Maria Hernandez of Tyler.

DPS stated that an 18-wheeler followed Hernandez’s SUV; the 18-wheeler attempted to avoid crashing into other vehicles, but was unable to do so. Officials concluded that there were no “obstacles or anything that would necessitate that Viramontes veer onto the wrong side of the road.” Continue reading Tyler man sentenced to 17 years for fatal head-on crash

KILGORE – In a historic moment, Tyler Junior College’s Sign Language and Interpretation classes give the deaf and hard of hearing community a guided tour of the iconic East Texas Oil Museum in Kilgore for the first time.

According to our news partner, KETK, TJC students set to graduate in May brought the history of the East Texas Oil Museum on Kilgore College’s campus to life, through sign language. As a part of an end-of-year project, the students gave full tours of the iconic museum, and interpreted a nearly 20-minute movie to people who are deaf and hard-of-hearing.

“Without the interpreters here, we would just look through the museum,” said Todd Lindstrom, a museum guest who’s deaf. Continue reading TJC gives tours for the deaf at East Texas Oil Museum

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — A 43-acre battery energy storage facility started construction in December, but soon, that work could be brought to a halt. According to our news partner KETK, the Van Zandt County Fire Marshal has issued an order to Taaleri Energia, the company behind the Amador Energy Storage project, to follow all state fire codes or face the consequences.

Shane Lane’s ranch borders the land the battery facility is being built on, and he is currently suing the Finnish-owned company over safety concerns.

“We run a cow calf operation and they don’t have any type of evacuation, they don’t have any plans for anything, there’s no safety protocol whatsoever for this facility,” Lane said.

Before construction started at the end of December, the county sent Taaleri Energia a letter requesting the documents required for the facility to be built, but they didn’t receive a response until February. Continue reading Van Zandt County Fire Marshal orders battery facility to meet fire codes

GUN BARREL CITY — According to our news partner KETK, the motive has been revealed in the case of a Mabank man, John Clague, accused of killing his sister. The Henderson County Sheriff’s Dept. is reporting that that Clague had been hysterical after the victim reportedly took $1,500 and 4 ounces of marijuana.

On Monday at around 3:26 p.m., the sheriff’s office dispatch center received a call that John Clague had shot his sister, Samantha Moore, in the chest. When deputies arrived, they saw a woman applying pressure to the victim’s chest, who was lying on the front porch of Clague’s residence near Bonita Point outside of Gun Barrel City. Deputies at the scene said they could not find a pulse on the victim and that Clague had fled the scene with the firearm reportedly used to shoot his sister. A witness told officials that Clague had been hysterical after the victim reportedly took $1,500 and 4 ounces of marijuana. Continue reading Man accused of killing sister over money and marijuana

ANGELINA COUNTY – According to our news partner KETK, an East Texas man has been charged with murder in connection to a missing persons case. Officials said he admitted to killing one of the men by striking the victim in the head and then strangling him.

The Angelina County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1’s Office, the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office and the Lufkin Police Department began working on the missing persons case on Jan. 31, and began the search for Robert Saxton, 79, and Michael Allen, 44. In the next two months, an extensive investigation led to the Texas Rangers being called in to assist. John Wayne McCroskey, became a person of interest after officials learned he lived on the property at Saxton Auto Sales, where both victims had been reported missing.

Witnesses placed McCroskey with Saxton on Jan. 27 at around 9:30 a.m. in Saxton’s lime green vehicle. Surveillance video from a Lufkin motel confirmed that Saxton and McCroskey were together earlier that morning. Continue reading Suspect admits to strangling missing person to death

HOUSTON – An impressive feat happened at this years Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. 12-year-old Dallas Martinez sold his championship market barrow pig for $501,000. That broke the old record by over $100,000. According to our news partner KETK, Martinez, who is currently in sixth grade at Center ISD, was named Junior Market Barrow Grand Champion. Dallas is also the first Hispanic student to win the Championship title.

Martinez has been competing in major stock shows since he was 9-years-old and showing pigs since he was 3-years-old . He will take home $50,000 and the rest of the money will go directly to charities supported by the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

TYLER – Alexander Scott has been named the new director of bands and an
assistant professor of music at The University of Texas at Tyler. As director of bands, Scott will
oversee UT Tyler’s bands including the Wind Ensemble and the newly formed Concert Band.
He comes to UT Tyler from the University of Michigan, where he served as a graduate student
instructor. Continue reading UT Tyler announces new Director of Bands

TYLER – The CEO of the East Texas Food Bank has issued a statement on federal budget cuts and the impact it will have on local services…

“The East Texas Food Bank has been notified that several truckloads of previously expected food from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will not be delivered. This food equates to 360,000 pounds valued at $750,000. In addition, the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program or LFPA of the East Texas Food Bank will incur a loss of 756,000 pounds of produce valued at $121,000. This program helps to purchase food produced in the state to support local and regional producers. If funding continues to be cut, this could severely restrict our ability to meet current demand. In fiscal year 2024, the East Texas Food Bank provided 31 million meals. This year we are on track to serve over 33 million meals this fiscal year. Currently 1 in 6 East Texas adults including 1 in 4 children are food insecure. Please advocate for ETFB by calling your local Congressional leaders, signing up for a volunteer shift or consider a donation to fund our operations.”
David Emerson
CEO of the East Texas Food Bank

TYLER – In a report from our news partner, KETK, East Texas representatives gave an update on bills filed by lawmakers for the 89th legislative session.

East Texas representatives, like State Rep. Cole Hefner (R-Mount Pleasant), who hopes to get his own bills passed. One of his top priorities is House Bill 17. This bill restricts the purchase of land in Texas from “hostile countries” such as China, Russia and North Korea.

“That bill is in the homeland security and public safety committee…in a week or two, we’re going to have a day of hearings where we hear our bills that have to do with foreign adversaries,” Hefner said.

Another big topic in the Texas House is water. Both State Rep. Hefner and State Rep. Gary VanDeaver (R-New Boston) are working to keep East Texas water in the Piney woods. Continue reading State Representatives give updates on 89th session

HALLSVILLE – Our news partner, KETK, reports that several police departments from all over East Texas had access to an abandoned school to prepare for potential threats and school shootings. Learning to work together, just like they would in real world scenarios.

“We’re finding now that if you carry a gun and badge, everybody needs this,” Longview PD alert instructor sergeant, Drew Allison said.

Mandated by the state, the training lasted 16 hours with over two days of intense instruction. The main lesson aimed to stop the threats as quickly as possible. Continue reading Law enforcement participate in active shooter drills

LONGVIEW – According to our news partner KETK, a Longview nursing home employee was arrested on March 20 after she reportedly left a patient tied to the bed for more than five hours. According to an affidavit, Simone Monique Barnes, was charged with unlawful restraint after exposing the victim to substantial risk of serious injuries. The victim, who is 55-years-old, has a history of falling and is unable to care for herself independently, records indicate.

On March 11, the Medical Fraud Control Unit of the Texas Attorney General’s Office opened an investigation against Barnes. According to the affidavit, investigators learned that the victim was found tied to her bed at around 8:15 a.m. on March 6. Black leggings were tied to both of the victims legs, keeping her restrained to her bed, however officials said the victim did not sustain any injuries.

Once the patient was discovered, a manager was notified and took pictures of the victim in the restraints before releasing her. The manager then sent the pictures along with a written statement from the victim to investigators. Continue reading Longview nursing home employee arrested after tying resident to bed

MARSHALL – In a Monday night neeting, the Marshall City Council has named Melissa Byrne Vossmer as the new City Manager. Vossmer has been serving as interim City Manager since October 2024.

Vossmer has built a lengthy career with city manager posts in Lago Vista and Angleton, Texas and Lawton, Oklahoma. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from St. Mary of the Plains College and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Kansas.

Vossmer said in a press release from the city, “I am excited to officially step into this role. Working with Marshall’s dedicated staff and residents, I’ve discovered we have much to be grateful for here. We will keep working side by side, building on our progress, and finding new ways to strengthen and invest in Marshall’s future.”

Vossmer added, that she is committed to maintaining an open-door policy with residents in regards to city matters.

TEXARKANA – A Texarkana man was arrested after he allegedly used a mini four-wheeler to run into multiple Tesla vehicles on Tuesday. According to the Texarkana Police Department and our news partner KETK, officers received a report from the Golden Palace on Summerhill Road where surveillance footage captured a man on a mini four-wheeler intentionally ramming a parked Tesla at full speed. Officials said that officers were searching for the suspect while another report came in regarding damage to a Tesla in the Lowe’s parking lot.

Shortly after, officers spotted the suspect riding the four-wheeler near Summerhill and New Boston Road. After officers stopped the suspect, he initially gave a false name, but officers quickly identified him as Demarkeyun Marquize Cox, 33 of Texarkana. Cox was arrested and booked into the Bi-State Jail in Bowie County. Continue reading Suspect arrested for damaging Tesla

LONGVIEW – Making his mark one mile at a time, our news partner, KETK reports that Kyndal Ray Edwards is taking a journey across America and shining a light on a topic people have a hard time talking about.

A walking testimony, Edwards started his journey in prison, knowing that he wanted to change his life and walk for a cause bigger than himself.

“I want to shed some light on it and let people know that there is hope,” Edwards said.

In order to raise awareness for mental health Edwards will be walking across all four corners of the lower 48 states of America. Continue reading Longview man walks across America raising awareness for mental health

NACOGDOCHES COUNTY — Officials have located the body of a man they believe has been missing since January. This is the second body found as part of the missing persons investigation. According to our news partner KETK, the Lufkin Police Department discovered a body they believe to be Michael Allen in the 5900 block of Old Tyler Road in Nacogdoches County. Allen’s family has been notified, however, officials said the body has been sent for an autopsy to confirm the identity.

In February, officials said they found the body of another man, which they believe to be 79-year-old Robert Saxon, who was reported missing at the same time Allen was. The body was found in Sabine Parish, La. Despite it being more than a month since the first body was discovered, the Lufkin Police Department said they are still pending autopsy results to officially identify the body.

At this time, the Lufkin Police Department said John Wayne McCroskey is a suspect and is being questioned. He is being held in the Angelina County Jail on unrelated charges.

TYLER – Our news partner, KETK, reports that the Tyler Police Department is warning residents of scammers pretending to be local or federal law enforcement in order to ask victims for money. A victim of a scammer recently reported the incident to the Tyler PD stating that she received a call from somebody claiming to be a U.S. Marshal. The victim was instructed to pay money and received an additional call from someone claiming to be a member of the Tyler PD and told her she would be arrested if she did not pay the money.

The Tyler PD released a statement claiming that they would never ask anyone to pay them money over the phone. Continue reading Tyler police warns residents of scammers impersonating officers

SMITH COUNTY – Our news partner, KETK, reports that an elderly man has died after falling from a ladder while trimming trees Monday afternoon. According to the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, around 4:30 p.m., deputies responded to a home in the Chapel Hill area off of Highway 64, where they found 76-year-old Bobby Finley dead in his yard.

Officials said Finley was standing on a ladder while trimming a tree in his yard with a chainsaw when a limb he cut fell into the ladder, knocking him to the ground. The sheriff’s office believes Finley hit his head and back area when he fell to the ground, ultimately causing his death.