KTBB News, Weather, Talk

ANGELINA COUNTY — A Lufkin woman was arrested on Sunday after a two-year-old boy was brought to a hospital in Lufkin for a THC overdose in April, an arrest affidavit reveals. According to our news partner KETK,  the boy was brought to a local hospital by his mother, 19-year-old Brianna Rene’ Lawrence, and another woman because he was not “waking up.” The toddler was found not alert by ER staff and was only responding to painful stimuli, officials said.

While an officer was speaking with Lawrence she allegedly admitted to using different THC products including THC gummies, marijuana and THC vape pens. After officers searched a white KIA SUV she used to transport the toddler to the hospital, they found marijuana with THC in the center console, the court documents said. The vehicle used wasn’t owned by Lawrence but the owner told the officer that the marijuana was Lawrence’s. Continue reading Two-year-old tests positive for THC at Lufkin hospital

TYLER — Colm Conneen of Tyler, a May 2025 graduate of The University of Texas at Tyler, has received a one-year U.S. Fulbright fellowship to conduct post-graduate research beginning this fall at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland. While there, Conneen will study microbial microcosms in pitcher plants, which is a continuation of his interests in community ecology and mathematical ecology. Fulbright selection is based on academic excellence and previous research experience.

“We congratulate Colm, who is a prime example of the excellent students we have in biology who go on to do amazing things,” said Dr. Neil Gray, UT Tyler College of Arts and Sciences dean. “I also want to thank Dr. Joshua Banta for being a tremendous mentor and supporter.”

A UT Tyler professor of biology, Banta previously taught Conneen and served as his undergraduate faculty research adviser in the lab. They collaborated on research focused on the ecological niche modeling –– which is predicting a species distribution area with statistical methods –– of Texas crayfish. Continue reading UT Tyler alum named international Fulbright research fellow

RUSK COUNTY – A man was arrested Monday morning after reportedly breaking into a woman’s home in Rusk County and assaulting her with a cooking pan. According to the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office and our news partner KETK, deputies received an early morning call about a home burglary in progress and when they arrived on scene they heard screaming from inside.

Officials said deputies forced their way inside and found the suspect, Christopher Lee Heard, who had broken into the home, and then assaulted a woman with a cooking pan. Deputies arrested Heard for burglary of a habitation with the intent to commit a felony (aggravated assault), and he is being held on a $100,000 bond at the Rusk County Jail.

The victim was transported to a Tyler hospital where she was treated for non-life threatening injuries.

TYLER – According to our news partner, KETK, The Texas Department of Transportation held an event in Tyler on Monday to launch their annual ‘Click It Or Ticket’ driver safety campaign. The campaign means law enforcement is increasing their efforts to ensure that drivers buckle up while on the roads. From Monday until June 1, all drivers caught not wearing a seat belt in a moving vehicle will be given a ticket, not a warning or an exception like many drivers may be used to.

“We want to make sure that everyone is safe. We don’t want anyone to be in a crash and not go home to their families, friends, coworkers, what have you,” said Tyler traffic safety specialist with TxDOT Heather Singleton said. “We’ve estimated that we’ve saved almost 10,000 lives by doing this event.”

To learn more about the campaign, click here.

TYLER – A Tyler woman was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Friday after a deputy found fentanyl inside her 6-month-old’s diaper during a traffic stop in 2024, according to our news partner KETK. Around 11:30 p.m. on May 5, 2024, a Smith County Sheriff’s deputy pulled over a vehicle near Van Highway and Loop 323 for a traffic violation. Officials said when the deputy pulled over the driver, Dre-Darian Taerondrick Ester, they smelled marijuana from the vehicle, resulting in a search.

The deputy then asked the child’s mother, Jada La Nae Speight, who was in the passenger seat, to change the baby’s diaper, officials said. At this moment, the deputy saw a “bottle of pressed fentanyl” inside the diaper.

Ester pleaded guilty to manufacturing/delivering of a controlled substance on Oct. 21, 2024, and was sentenced to 40 years in prison. On Friday, Speight pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

TYLER – A potential bill is being proposed which would expand the sale of ungraded eggs, according to our news partner, KETK.

If passed, Bill 1864, which is in the House Agriculture and Livestock committee, would expand the sale of ungraded eggs. Currently, the only way you can sell wholesale is to grade your eggs. Which are inspected by a certified grading station.

“It’s not a safety issue. It’s not that a grade B egg is not as good as a grade A egg. It just has to do with size and weight and things like that,” State Rep. Brent Money said. Representative Money serves on the committee and says this would open a lot of doors for small East Texas egg producers.

“Any time you can expand the market and make it easier for them to sell their products, it’s better for their business and it’s better for the consumer,” Money said. Continue reading Bill proposed to allow small egg producers to sell ungraded eggs wholesale

TYLER — Gantry maintenance on Toll 49 will cause a single lane closure between Hwy 155 and FM 2493 (Old Jacksonville Hwy) from 9am-4pm Tuesday, May 20. Drivers should expect short delays.

TYLER – Tyler Police have identified a suspect in the murder of a 28-year-old woman on Saturday. Joshua Isaiah Malina, 34, was arrested Tuesday, May 20 and booked into the Smith County Jail on a warrant for murder. His bond was set at $2,000,000.

According to our news partner KETK, officers responded to Confederate Avenue after receiving calls regarding a homicide. According to officials, the victim, 28-year-old Karsen Lynn Stewart, from Mineola, was found in the roadway near her car with multiple stab wounds. The case remains under investigation.

TYLER — Smith County Emergency Services District 2 responded to a residential garage fire on Saturday that was caused by a lightening strike.

According to our news partner KETK, the fire occurred at a residence in Cook’s Crossing off Old Bullard Road in Tyler. Smith County ESD2 said engines 161, 151, 166, 156 and Battalion 1 along with Whitehouse Fire Department, chief 3 and other support crews worked to put out the fire. All of the home’s residents made it to safety and no injures were reported.

GUN BARREL CITY – According to our news partner KETK, a man was sentenced to ten years in state prison last week in connection to a motorcycle chase that started in Gun Barrel City, according to the Henderson County District Attorney’s Office.

A deputy with the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office attempted a traffic stop on a blue motorcycle in the 300 block of West Main Street of Gun Barrel City on Aug. 10, 2024, a press release from the district attorney’s office said. The motorcycle accelerated towards Mabank after the deputy turned on their emergency lights and siren. As the motorcycle sped towards Mabank, it went on the wrong side of the roadway at over 140 miles per hour, according to the press release. As the sheriff’s office, the Gun Barrel City Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety pursued the motorcycle, it attempted to drive on the grassy shoulder of FM 316 and crashed. The motorcycle driver then attempted to evade officers by leaving the wrecked motorcycle but was taken into custody.

Henry Lee Hyde II, who the attorney’s office identified as the driver, was then sentenced to 10 years in state prison by 3rd District Court Judge Mark Calhoon for the charge of evading arrest or detention with a vehicle.

TYLER – The City of Tyler announced that there will be base repairs to the Fair Park Drive foundation Tuesday, May 20. Work will be conducted from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., weather permitting. Repairs will be from West Front Street to Rose Park Drive. The road will be closed to through traffic. Drivers are asked to follow any posted detours and to allow for an additional 15 to 20 minutes of travel.

TYLER – According to a media release from Smith County, all non-emergency Smith County offices will be closed for business on Monday, May 26, 2025, for Memorial Day.

Offices will reopen for normal business hours on Tuesday, May 27, and Commissioners Court will be held at the normal time – 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday.