KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER – The City of Tyler announced this morning that due to a collapsed box drainage structure caused by the recent rainy weather, emergency action is being taken today to clean it and stabilize it. A portion of Beckham closed at midday. The closure will take place in the vicinity of Houston Street. Officials say they will be able to keep one lane open at all times, to keep the flow of traffic going.

SMITH COUNTY — A Chapel Hill teen accused of killing his older sister will remain in the Smith County Juvenile Attention Center for at least two more weeks. Nathaniel Anderson, 15, is accused in the shooting death of his sister, Amanda, 19. The autopsy showed she was shot in the head four times. Anderson’s next hearing is set for January 31st.

TYLER — Tyler Police are investigating a robbery at a local motel. It happened Thursday morning at the Tyler Express, 2631 WNW Loop 323. Authorities say the clerk said she was robbed by an unidentified man after he entered the office, produced a handgun, and demanded money from the register. She said she gave the suspect an undisclosed amount of money and he then fled on foot. The suspect is described as a black male approximately 5’6″ weighing around 150 pounds. He was wearing dark clothing with a black ski type mask. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Tyler Police Department at 903-531-1000.

LUFKIN — A Lufkin apartment maintenance man was arrested Wednesday, accused of attempting to rape a sleeping tenant. The victim’s roommate reportedly let Jose Otilio Diaz Jr., 34, into their Acadia Arms apartment to fix the dishwasher, according to an arrest report. The victim, 18, was in the bedroom asleep when she reportedly awoke to Diaz standing over her, pulling off her shorts. The victim yelled to her roommate, who was in the living room. The roommate could tell the woman was in trouble and grabbed her husband’s .45-caliber pistol before investigating what was going on. Authorities say the roommate told Diaz to get out of the apartment and followed him to the door. The victim said she felt Diaz would not have stopped if her roommate would not have walked in with the gun, according to the report. The victim later identified Diaz in a police photo lineup.

TYLER — Today’s the day of the Tyler Area Chamber’s annual Business Expo, from 9 to 5 at Harvey Convention Center, featuring some 150 exhibitors. The Chamber’s Henry Bell says the expo offers “a lot of different variety this year.” He says the free event offers a chance to network and learn about the local business environment. Bell said the business climate in Tyler is quite positive right now, and that should help spur interest in the expo.

BEAUMONT – A 44-year-old Lufkin man pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges related to a double homicide which took place in Nacogdoches in August 2007. Carl Carver pleaded guilty to committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering activity before U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone in Beaumont. Specifically, Carver admitted that he had participated in the murder of David Mitchamore.

According to information presented in court, Carver was a general of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas (ABT), a powerful race-based state-wide organization that operates inside and outside of state and federal prisons throughout Texas and the United States. Authorities say the ABT enforces its rules and promotes discipline among its members, prospects, and associates through murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to murder, assault, robbery, and threats against those who violate the rules or pose a threat to the enterprise. Authorities say members, and often associates, are required to follow the orders of higher-ranking members, often referred to as “direct orders.”

According to court documents, David Mitchamore, aka “Super Dave,” an ABT member, and his girlfriend, Christie Rochelle Brown, were murdered as a result of a “direct order” issued by Carver against Mitchamore because of Mitchamore’s failure to repay an outstanding debt he allegedly owed to Carver. The bodies of Mitchamore and Brown were discovered in Nacogdoches County on Aug. 10, 2007. Carver faces life in prison at sentencing. A sentencing date has not been set.

LONGVIEW — A retirement reception will be held for Longview Chief of Police J.B. McCaleb from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. today. The recognition presentation will occur at 4:30 p.m. The event is open to the public and will be held at the Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Complex, 100 Grand Blvd. Chief McCaleb has served in law enforcement for 35 years, including 32 years with the Longview Police Department. He has served as Chief of Police since 2003.

TYLER — Tyler Assistant Fire Marshal Brandon Davis says a house has been destroyed by fire on the 300 block of West Cedar. KETK reports the blaze started on the east side of the house, although investigators still aren’t sure how. The flames spread quickly into the attic, causing a partial roof collapse. No one was hurt.

HENDERSON (AP) – A Fort Worth man who reported to investigators he accidentally shot and killed a deer hunter has been charged in the death. The Rusk County Sheriff’s Office says 54-year-old Rodney Connally turned himself in Wednesday. Connally was named in a Jan. 13 warrant for criminal negligent homicide. The case involves the Jan. 1 death of 41-year-old Louis Conner Jr. of Overton. Connally was arraigned Wednesday, with bond set at $50,000. He previously was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm. Connally notified officers of the shooting, saying he mistook Conner for a deer. Sgt. Viki Penny says there’s no indication that the men knew each other. She had no information Wednesday on an attorney for Connally.

MARSHALL — Many Texas residents, including some East Texans, have a new cable provider. St. Louis-based Cobridge Communications has recently purchased seven territories across the state from Charter Communications. Cobridge executive Paul Belle Isle says the company’s installing fiber-optic technology where possible. He says Cobridge is working to improve reliability, picture quality, and Internet speed to provide faster, better, smarter, higher-tech service. According to Belle Isle, Cobridge is now serving Marshall, Carthage, Atlanta, Rockport, Colorado city, Slaton, and Levelland.

EAST TEXAS — Research now shows the life-span of East Texans is shorter than other areas across the state and that reputation is giving East Texas a new nickname. “The stroke belt.” Experts say after years of neglecting healthy food and exercise, we’ve earned that title. Neurologist, Alison Hennigan says another reason why the stroke rate is so high in East Texas is because of smoking. East Texans also have the shortage life-span in the state.

LINDALE — A Lindale teen, Dakota Lee Dawson, has been arrested for filing a false report. A Smith County Sheriff’s Deputy says Dawson sent a text message to a friend claiming he found his girlfriend with another man. He reportedly told his friend he shot the man and put him in a wood chipper. The friend called police. Dawson was arrested and charged with filing a false report. He was released on $1,000 bond.

TYLER — A 62-year-old Tyler man has been sentenced to federal prison for child pornography violations Wednesday. William Robert Pate pleaded guilty on Aug. 16 to possession of child pornography and was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison. According to information presented in court, on Mar. 26, law enforcement investigators executed a search warrant at Pate’s home for suspected child pornography after images were reported as being uploaded to an Internet website from Pate’s IP address. During the investigation, Pate admitted to downloading child pornography over the internet and gave permission for the search of his computers. A forensic analysis of the computer revealed approximately 97 images and 7 videos of child pornography, some of which depicted children less than 12 years of age engaged in sadistic or masochistic conduct. Pate was indicted by a federal grand jury on Apr. 8, 2010.

LUFKIN — Lufkin Police want to identify a man who used a fraudulent check. On June 14, 2010, a suspect passed a fraudulent check at a Lufkin-area grocery store and, although the suspect’s image was captured by security cameras, investigators have not yet identify him. The check was made to appear as a payroll check from another Lufkin-area business, and was cashed for several hundred dollars. According to witnesses and the security camera-captured images, the suspect is a 30 to 40-year-old black male with short-cut hair, receding hairline, moustache, and goatee. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (936) 639-TIPS.

WOOD COUNTY — A 16-year-old boy was found shot to death early Tuesday in Wood County. About 1:30 a.m., Wood County Sheriff’s deputies found Loren Wayne Saunders, 16, dead of a gunshot wound to his chest. Officers were responding to a call about a person shot at County Road 1590, Chaney Point RV Park #2 in Alba. Saunders was a student at the Alba/Golden Independent School District. Detectives are investigating.