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TYLER, Texas (KETK) — According to our news partner KETK, a man was arrested on Wednesday after allegedly tricking an elderly Tyler woman into believing she needed more than $60,000 worth of roof repairs. According to an arrest affidavit from the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, on March 21 deputies received a report of an elderly woman who had been lied to and tricked by suspects, Levy Lee and his accomplice, about a roof repair that was not needed at her home in Tyler.

The report said that the victim ended up giving Lee six checks and $14,000 in cash totaling $64,000 for the work they told her needed to be done. The victim had a contractor come out to her house and inspect the “damages” that Lee and his accomplice said the roof had.

The contractor told her Lee had lied to her, all Lee and the accomplice did was paint roofing tiles around an alleged “rotted chimney flute.”

The victim met Lee and his accomplice when they came up to her house and told her that her roof was “unstable” and that when they get on the roof and jumped, they would “sink a little,” showing her where a soft spot was. The victim said that this “scared her.” Continue reading Elderly woman scammed into paying $64,000 for fake roof repairs

HARRISON COUNTY – According to a report from our news partner, KETK, a man has been sentenced to life in prison after he was found guilty of murder and arson in connection to the 2022 killing of a Cass County man.

Back in September of that year, Blake Reddock, a 31-year-old from Avinger, was found dead on Hershel McCoy Road on Sept. 10, 2022, according to the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office. A burned vehicle connected to the case was found that same day.

Later, on Sept. 12, 2022, Canton James Echols, 36 of Diana, was arrested and charged with murder and arson, Harrison County Jail records show.

Reddock was reportedly stabbed several times and was first identified through his tattoos because law enforcement said they found no identification with his body.

Echols was given two life sentences in state prison plus 25 years on Thursday for murder and arson. Echols’ sentences both started on Thursday.

TEXARKANA – The Texarkana Police Department confirmed that more victims have come forward after a man was arrested for solicitation of a minor in a sting operation, according to our news partner, KETK.

Texarkana police officers conducted a sting operation last month that led to four men being arrested for crimes related to soliciting sex with a minor or prostitute. On March 14, Gregory Frame, 45 of Wake Village, was arrested for solicitation of a minor after trying to meet up with an underage girl, who turned out to be an under cover officer.

“To my understanding, I do know that he (Frame) responded to the under cover officer’s messages with the understanding of meeting with an underage girl for sexual conduct,” Texarkana PD’s Public Information Officer Shawn Vaughn said. Continue reading Man arrested for soliciting minors, more victims come forward

WHITEHOUSE – Our news partner, KETK, reports that this week, Tyler City Council decided to update ordinances that are now in effect for both Lake Tyler and Lake Tyler East.

Lake Tyler Marina Resort owner and resident, Brent Allen, said people who live by the shore line have been waiting for the update because the rules could mean big changes for them.

“It’s been a topic of conversation since the day I got here,” Allen said “So it’s been back and forth for a long time.”

Allen emphasized how he supports any law that increases the safety and the quality of the lake. Continue reading New ordinances for Lake Tyler and Lake Tyler East

NACOGDOCHES COUNTY – Our news partner, KETK, reports that one person was taken to the hospital Friday morning after their truck reportedly left the roadway and rolled three times near Cushing.

According to Lilbert-Looneyville Volunteer Fire Department, around 6:26 a.m. firefighters and EMS responded to the 8000 block of North FM-225 for a motor vehicle crash. Officials said that the driver had swerved to avoid a deer and the vehicle left the roadway and rolled three times. The sole occupant of the truck was taken to the Nacogdoches hospital to be treated for head, neck and back injuries.

LONGVIEW — A man formerly imprisoned over the January sixth us capitol riot is running for Congress in East Texas. Three months ago, Ryan Taylor Nichols, of Longview, was pardoned by President Trump for his part in the January 6th US Capitol riot. Nichols, who was serving a five year prison sentence, is now running for congress. He is challenging two term Republican Nathaniel Moran.

SMU Political Scientist Cal Jillson says Moran is much more polished and has run successful campaigns. Jillson says Nichol’s January 6th history may appeal to some voters. Nichols sprayed pepper spray at police and entered the US Capitol through a broken window. He then egged on the crowd to get inside. Later, he put a message on social media says he stands for violence.

MT PLEASANT — According to our news partner KETK, six Mt Pleasant Chapel Hill ISD students on a field trip were reportedly injured after a vehicle crashed into a Cicis Pizza restaurant in Mt Pleasant on Thursday. Four adults were also injured.

At around 11:20 a.m. officers were dispatched to a vehicle that struck a building at the Cicis Pizza restaurant on Jefferson Avenue. When officials arrived, they found a Toyota 4-Runner had struck the front of the restaurant and several people were injured. Emergency personnel began rendering aid. Six students and four adults were injured, the police department said, and they were transported to an area hospital. Of the 10 injured, six received minor injuries, three had moderate injuries and one victim received critical injuries.

“There were others that received minor injuries who were evaluated and treated on the scene,” the police department said. Continue reading Ten injured after vehicle crashes into Cicis Pizza

CANTON – The 294th District Court Judge Chris Martin has issued a restraining order against Finnish company Taaleri Energia, who was preparing to build a battery storage facility in Van Zandt County.

According to out news partner KETK, Van Zandt County petitioned Martin’s court for a temporary restraining order against Taaleri Energia North America LLC., BT Amador Storage LLC., Amador Bess Holdings Inc., Renewable Energy Systems Americas Inc. and Belltown Texas Power 2 LLC. for allegedly violating parts of the fire code. The court found that the evidence in Van Zandt County’s petition showed that the companies have violated the applicable fire code and have “threatened additional violations” at their battery storage facility work site at 32021 FM 47.

According to Van Zandt County Judge Andy Reese, the temporary order will last 14 days and then the county will have to apply for a permanent injunction that bars the companies from work until they comply with National Fire Protection Association codes. Continue reading Van Zandt judge issues order stopping battery storage facility

NEW BOSTON – Our news partner, KETK, reports that seven correctional staff at the New Boston state prison were arrested on Wednesday after allegedly engaging in organized criminal activity.

According to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), seven arrests were made in connection with an ongoing investigation of alleged conspiracy among correctional staff and others to bring in contraband into the Barry B. Tedford Unit of the TDCJ.

“Corruption is not and will not be tolerated in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice,” Texas Board of Criminal Justice Chairman Eric Nichols said. “We appreciate the hard work of the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) team and our outstanding law enforcement partners in pursuing this investigation…” Continue reading Seven county prison staff arrested for organized crime

NEW BOSTON – The New Boston Police Department assisted in putting a Northeast Texas man who was on the Texas Top 10 Most Wanted list behind bars.

On Tuesday, New Boston PD was notified that Rondarrius Davon Idae Evans, a man on the Texas Top 10 Most Wanted list, was last seen in Mesquite. Officers arrived at the apartment complex Evans was believed to be staying at in Mesquite and found Evans and another individual fleeing the complex. Evans was later pulled over in Dallas and was placed under arrest.

Evans was wanted for his involvement in a double homicide shooting that took place in July 2024 and led to the deaths of Nicholas Webster and Princeton Washington. Following his arrest, Evans will be charged with two counts of capital murder. Continue reading UPDATE: Man on Texas most wanted for double homicide arrested

MT PLEASANT – Chapel Hill ISD sixth grade students on a field trip were reportedly injured after a vehicle crashed into a Cicis Pizza restaurant in Mt Pleasant on Thursday.

According to the school district, emergency personnel are on site and the district is working with them to ensure all students are accounted for and safe. Our news partner, KETK, reports that students who are not injured will be taken back to campus once the scene has been secured.

“We will share confirmed updates as they become available,” the district said. “Out of respect for emergency responders, we ask families not to go to the scene.”

The Mt Pleasant Police Department said the district has notified all parents whose children were involved. Parents or guardians can contact the junior high campus office at 903-572-9096 EXT 497.

MT PLEASANT – Chapel Hill ISD sixth grade students on a field trip were reportedly injured after a vehicle crashed into a Cicis Pizza restaurant in Mt Pleasant on Thursday.

According to the school district, emergency personnel are on site and the district is working with them to ensure all students are accounted for and safe. Our news partner, KETK, reports that students who are not injured will be taken back to campus once the scene has been secured.

“We will share confirmed updates as they become available,” the district said. “Out of respect for emergency responders, we ask families not to go to the scene.”

The Mt Pleasant Police Department said the district has notified all parents whose children were involved. Parents or guardians can contact the junior high campus office at 903-572-9096 EXT 497.

LONGVIEW – The Women’s Center of East Texas is seeking donations this week to help stock their shelves.

The shelter is looking for donations to provide to survivors of sexual violence. Some items requested include diapers, baby wipes, body wash and feminine products. Hollie Bruce CEO of the Women’s Shelter, emphasized how much these donations help victims of sexual abuse get back on their feet.

“These are for them to come in and get and take to their homes where they live permanently.” Bruce said. “We’re really, really grateful for that and hope people will participate in the drive. We’ll be stocking that in the next couple of weeks with whatever they bring in.”

Donations can be dropped off at the shelter which is off of Hollybrook Drive in Longview for the remainder of the week from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

QUITMAN – The City of Quitman will hold a funeral procession in honor of a local fallen hero who died on April 2, according to our news partner, KETK.

Quitman Mayor Randy Dunn issued a proclamation to lower all U.S. flags to be at half mast on Thursday in honor of Senior Airman Fabian Roman. Roman was a member of the 2016 Quitman High School class. After graduating, he enlisted in the United States Air Force and was stationed in several countries around the world, including the Republic of Korea and Germany. In 2022, Roman received the Air and Space Achievement Medal. According to the Air Forces Personnel Center, the medal is bestowed to a member of the Air Force for either an outstanding achievement or displaying meritorious service. Continue reading Quitman honors a fallen hero

TYLER – Tyler will be moving forward into year five of the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Main Plan according to our news partner KETK.

Since 2019, 85 of Tyler’s 150 signalized intersections have been retimed, covering more than 29 miles of roadway. The City of Tyler said the retimed signal system provides smoother, more consistent travel for Tyler residents. The Tyler City Council approved a $133,188 contract with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. to carry out the remainder of the plan. The city will focus on retiming and fine-tuning 14 different intersections. The project is funded by the Half-Cent Sales Tax.

In accordance with the five-year plan, the city will evaluate several previo Continue reading Tyler moves into final year of traffic signal upgrade plan

WOOD COUNTY – According to our news partner KETK, an on duty Wood County Sheriff’s deputy has died after a Wednesday morning crash involving an 18-wheeler. Deputy Melissa Pollard was taken to a local hospital in Quitman around 10 a.m. after the accident, but she did not survive her injuries, the Wood County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

“Please pray for the Pollard family, Wood County Sheriff’s Office family and all other parties involved in this tragedy,” the statement said.

The Texas Department of Public Safety is investigating the accident.

LONGVIEW — According to our news partner KETK, a driver died on Tuesday after experiencing a medical emergency that caused a multi-vehicle wreck. Longview Police Department Officers responded to a crash at the intersection of Hollybrook Drive and Judson Road on Tuesday at around 12:20 p.m. and learned that a black vehicle was being driven by a person who was experiencing a medical emergency and was traveling eastbound at a high rate of speed to a medical center.

“The driver ran a red light at the intersection and collided with two other vehicles,” the police department said. “The driver of the black passenger car was transported to a local medical facility and was later pronounced dead.”

Another individual was taken to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. The police department said no charges are pending in this investigation.

ATHENS – Our news partner, KETK, reports that three people were arrested Tuesday afternoon after a large amount of marijuana and other illegal narcotics were discovered in a home near Athens.

According to the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, around 2:50 p.m. narcotics investigators searched a home in the 2300 block of County Road 3718 near Athens and found seven different types of illegal drugs, five firearms with two being stolen from Arlington and Grand Prairie and a large amount of cash.

The different illegal drugs that were found by investigators were marijuana, cocaine, crack cocaine, fentanyl pills, morphine pills, xanax pills, and bottles of promethazine that are labeled for RX only. Continue reading Drugs found and three arrested in Athens

TYLER – On Wednesday, April 9, the City Council approved the purchase of a 14.6-acre tract at 3150 Robertson Rd. for $1,275,000 to build a new fire training facility. The Tyler Fire Department will develop a state-of-the-art training campus to strengthen emergency response capabilities. The facility will feature advanced equipment and training resources to better prepare firefighters for a wide range of emergency scenarios. Located in the Tyler Industrial Park, the site is near Tyler ISD’s Career and Technology Center, Atwood’s distribution center and Fire Station 5, creating opportunities for regional collaboration and educational partnerships. The Fire Department’s current training facility located at 701 Fair Park Drive will be decommissioned.

JACKSONVILLE – According to a report from our news partner, KETK, a man has been arrested by Jacksonville police officers after firing three rounds at his neighbor’s house on Tuesday before barricading himself in his own home.

Police responded to the 200 block of Ivy Street on Tuesday and secured the area before requesting backup from the Cherokee County SWAT Team which included Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department personnel. The suspect, 24-year-old Isaias Mena Sandoval of Jacksonville, barricaded himself inside his house for about an hour until law enforcement took him into custody. No injuries were reported, the police department said.

A search warrant for the residence will be issued and additional charges may be filed pending the investigation.

LONGVIEW – Our news partner, KETK, reports that a driver died on Tuesday after experiencing a medical emergency that caused a multi-vehicle wreck, the Longview Police Department said.

Officers responded to a crash at the intersection of Hollybrook Drive and Judson Road on Tuesday at around 12:20 p.m. During the course of the investigation, officials learned that a black vehicle was being driven by a person experiencing a medical emergency, and was traveling eastbound at a high rate of speed to a medical center.

“The driver ran a red light at the intersection and collided with two other vehicles,” the police department said. “The driver of the black passenger car was transported to a local medical facility and was later pronounced dead.”

Another individual was taken to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. The police department said no charges are pending in this investigation.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — The repair project on I-20, near CR 2112 (Mile Marker 518, west of Canton) in Van Zandt County, has hit a snag after a paver issue last night. According to TxDOT, the contractor is working to fix the issue by this afternoon or evening. The westbound, outside lane will remain closed throughout Wednesday. The roadway is expected to reopen tomorrow morning, Thursday April 10, at 6 am. Drivers should expect lengthy delays.

NACOGDOCHES – According to a report from our news partner, KETK, a former Nacogdoches ISD teacher received minimum two-year sentence after sexually assaulting a student in 2023.

Annaleigh Andrews, 26 of Nacogdoches, pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual assault of a child and three counts of online solicitation of a minor back in August 2024. Nacogdoches County Assistant District Attorney Amy Wren, said that Andrews was sentenced to a total of two years for all counts.

Andrews was a reading interventionist at McMichael Middle School. During the summer break following the 2022-2023 school year, Andrews starting communicating with the victim and took the victim to what they described as a “mansion.” The victim was sexually assaulted multiple times at this “mansion” and at Banita Creek Park. Andrews also asked the victim to meet her at selected locations and used marijuana with the victim, the DA’s office said. Continue reading Former East Texas teacher sentenced for child sexual assault

LINDEN – A man who fled from police following a disturbance involving a weapon on Monday afternoon has been apprehended, according to the Linden Police Department.

Our news partner, KETK, reports that officers responded to the scene at the Thomas Street Apartments, where they quickly secured the area. The suspect, later identified as Jacorey Birmingham, allegedly fled before officers arrived but was eventually located and detained. The weapon involved was also recovered and secured.

Birmingham has been arrested on charges of unlawful restraint, deadly conduct and burglary of a habitation with intent to commit additional felonies, the Linden Police Department confirmed.

“We thank our officers for their swift response and dedication to ensuring safety in our community,” the police department said.

EAST TEXAS — Texas Rep. Cody Harris, of Palestine,  appeared before the House Public Health Committee on Monday afternoon to present HB 3717, which would help fund clinical trials for ibogaine, a psychedelic compound that could treat opioid addiction. According to our news partner KETK, through this bill, Harris aims to take on the addiction with a particular focus on veterans. According to the National Institutes of Health, drug overdose mortality rates among U.S. military veterans rose by 53% between 2010 and 2019.

As opioid-related deaths continue to devastate families across the country, Harris said this legislation could be a crucial first step in offering new hope to those already battling the addiction.

“Funding a grant program for a ibogaine clinical trial isn’t just a policy choice,” Harris said on Monday. “It’s a lifeline, a chance to pull our neighbors, our heroes and our loved ones back from the edge.” Continue reading Texas bill proposes new approach to fight opioid crisis

SMITH COUNTY – The Smith County Commissioners Court approved a resolution on Tuesday, dedicating April 2025 as National County Government Month for Smith County government. According to our news partner KETK, this resolution will recognize the more than 900 Smith County government employees who work everyday to create safe and healthy communities. Officials encourage residents to learn more about the services that county governments provide such as veterans services, criminal and civil emergency courts systems, elections and public safety.

Smith County holds 29 elected officials and 16 department heads. They help figure out ways to keep systems running such as fire investigations, tax offices and the sheriff’s office in ways that are cost effective for the community.

There are currently 3,069 counties serving more than 330 million Americans by protecting the peace and tranquility of their respective communities. Smith County encourages everyone across the county to learn more about the people who serve in local government.

SMITH COUNTY — The 2025 State of the County Luncheon was held in Smith County on Tuesday afternoon. According to our news partner KETK, during the luncheon, a presentation by Smith County Judge Neal Franklin provided residents with several updates about the newest projects and events going on in the county. Franklin stated that the theme of this year’s event is collaboration, due to the countries’ efforts to work with others to achieve their goals.

“We have got a lot of things going with a lot of different entities and our goal is to work together and make these things happen,” Franklin said.

Franklin provided residents with an update about the new courthouse that is currently under construction. “The courthouse is going well, and we are getting to the point where we were almost off the ground,” Franklin said. Continue reading State of Smith County update