KTBB News, Weather, Talk

EAST TEXAS — I-20 repair work in Smith County wrapped up Tuesday afternoon and moved to Gregg County today. Motorists are reminded to slow down and use caution when traveling through these moving I-20 work zones, according to a TxDOT news release. Today’s work requires closing the eastbound outside lane at Mile Marker 593-594 for concrete repair work. Expect the lane closures to be in place till 7 p.m., which could mean delays for drivers. You’re also advised to look for electronic signage and personnel to guide traffic through this work zone while the roadway lanes are restricted. Law enforcement also has a presence in these I-20 work zones.

TYLER — The former wife of an ex-Whitehouse police officer has sued the city of Whitehouse and the town’s former police chief. KETK reports Jessica Johnson filed a complaint with the U.S. District Court of East Texas on October 9. Court documents reveal Johnson claims the defendants violated the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments by violating her privacy and her right to be free of sexual assault. Johnson said then-Police Chief Craig Shelton assaulted her at her home on May 14 when she was separated from her husband, an officer on the police force. Shelton was indicted on an assault charge, but the charge was later dropped after Johnson admitted lying to a grand jury. The former police chief resigned from his position not long after the charge was dismissed. Continue reading Ex-Wife of Former Officer Sues City of Whitehouse, Former Police Chief

LONGVIEW — Longview Police arrested two people in a drug raid Monday morning. KETK reports police took into custody Octavio Nigel Hollis, 38, of Longview, for manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Officers also arrested Ashley Nichole Britt. 25, of Longview, for manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance. At 10:19 a.m., officers and the CODE Unit served a search warrant on West Pliler Street. Authorities seized suspected cocaine and marijuana and found a gun under the cushion of a couch. Both suspects remain in the Gregg County Jail.

TYLER — As of Oct. 13, the City of Tyler will offer yet another way to access City Council meeting agendas digitally, according to a news release. Citizens will now be able to access the agenda from their smart phones or tablets by simply scanning a unique QR code posted at the entrance of the meeting. Officials say it’s about cutting costs and being environmentally aware. Chief Information Officer Benny Yazdanpanahi says further innovations of this type are coming soon, starting with digital agendas for Planning and Zoning meetings. To access the agenda using a QR code, simply download a code scanner app on a smart device, snap a photo of the agenda’s code, and you will be directed to the agenda online. For more information, contact Yazdanpanahi at byazdanpanahi@tylertexas.com or (903) 531-1122.

TYLER — The Smith County Commissioners Court voted Tuesday to implement a burn ban in the county. Fire Marshal Jay Brooks recommended the burn ban, according to a news release. He said the county has been lucky that it hasn’t had any large fires with no rain in the last several weeks. But since dry air began moving from the Northwest today, coupled with low humidity and wind, he said it was a good time to enforce a burn ban. Brooks said the KBI Index is at 734, and weather conditions were taken into account when deciding whether to recommend a burn ban. Brooks expects the dry air, wind and low humidity to continue throughout next week and possibly throughout the fall season. Continue reading Smith County Issues Burn Ban

TYLER — A man with a knife has robbed a Tyler business. It happened around 8:00 Monday night at the Food Fast store at 4725 Troup Highway. The man was armed with a large kitchen-style knife. After taking an undetermined amount of money, he fled on foot. The clerk described the suspect as a white male in his mid-twenties wearing a brown t-shirt with white writing, black shorts with a white strip running down the leg, and a dark colored cloth mask. The suspect was also described as being between 5’6″ and 5’10”, 150 and 160 pounds with bright blue eyes. No injuries were reported.

TYLER — Campus Security at the University of Texas at Tyler has alerted the campus to a reported sexual assault near the campus. The victim was walking in the area of Old Omen and McDonald Road around 3:00 Sunday morning when offered a ride by three men in an extended cab pickup. The victim reports being sexually assaulted by one of the men. They were later dropped off near the main entrance of the university. Tyler police say the victim was not a student at the school and has not reported the incident to them.

WASKOM (AP) — A Louisiana man has been arrested after authorities say he took an airplane without the owner’s permission from an East Texas airport outside Marshall and later crashed. Texas Department of Public Safety troopers tell Shreveport television station KSLA that Nathan Henley, 30, of Minden, Louisiana, told the plane owner he was going to wash the plane before a scheduled flight class Monday but instead took it on a joyride. He’s now charged with unauthorized use of a flying aircraft. Henley, who is not licensed to fly, and another man aboard escaped injury when the plane went down about 4:00 Monday morning in a pasture north of Waskom in Harrison County. Authorities told The Marshall News Messenger the aircraft apparently ran out of fuel.

VAN — A two vehicle accident in Van Zandt County has left one person dead and one injured. Dead at the scene was Crystal Ramirez, 18, of Rockwall. The Department of Public Safety reports her car was traveling in the wrong lane when it collided head-on with a truck driven by Kevin Stryker, 38, of Ben Wheeler. He was taken to a Tyler hospital for treatment of minor injuries. The accident happened around 11:15 Monday morning on Farm Road 314, about four miles south of Van.

AUSTIN – Speaker Joe Straus has appointed the current Chairman of the Texas House of Representatives Pension Committee, Republican Representative Dan Flynn of Van, as Co-Chair of the Joint Interim Committee to study the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) Benefit Plans. The committee was appointed by House Bill 2974 which was passed during the 84th Regular Session. The committee is to review the health benefit plans administered by the Teacher Retirement System of Texas and propose reforms. The committee will report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than January 15, 2017.

GILMER — Upshur County Treasurer Brandy Vick has been taken into custody after being found in contempt of court. Vick refused to move her chair across the Upshur County Justice Center while handing jurors their payment for service. According to the Longview News Journal, Upshur County’s 115th District Judge Lauren Parish issued the order Monday for Vick to be taken into jail custody. She is not to be released from the jail until she appears before the court. Vick had set up next to Justice of the Peace Lyle Potter’s office inside the Upshur County Justice Center to pay jurors for service of the 115th District Court. Vick said she was asked to set up there by Sheriff Anthony Betterton, who, Vick said, had told her that was the safest location in the building. But, when she refused to move, the judge found her in contempt.

MARSHALL (AP) — Marshall police say they’ve taken three juveniles into custody in the investigation of the theft of more than a dozen firearms from a sporting goods store last month. Eleven handguns and four rifles were reported missing after the early morning break-in September 13 at Diamondback Outfitters in Marshall. The burglars apparently got in by breaking a glass door at the front of the store. Police announced Monday the three had been detained and all but two of the weapons had been recovered. Marshall authorities and agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are continuing to investigate the case.

TYLER — The intoxication manslaughter trial of Carl Crabtree, 31, of Tyler, which was scheduled to have started today, has been pushed back to next Monday. A pre-trial hearing is set for Thursday. The case involves the deaths of two people stemming from an alleged drunk driving crash March 4. That’s when Crabtree, 31, of Tyler, was driving south on Old Jacksonville Highway and his vehicle crossed the center line, colliding head-on with an SUV. Continue reading Carl Crabtree Trial Pushed Back a Week

LONGVIEW — An elderly Gregg County woman has been bilked out of money by a Publisher’s Clearing House scam. The sheriff’s department reports she received mail that she had won a Publisher’s Clearing House cash prize. She was told to deposit a check in the amount of $8,980.30 and mail 39 $100.00 bills to an address in Austin, TX Via FedEx. It was all a scam and she lost the money. Gregg County investigators remind you that Publisher’s Clearing House and other reputable sweepstakes organizations do not operate in this manner.

LONGVIEW — A string of vehicle burglaries at Express Energy Services in Gregg County is under investigation. According to the sheriff department’s Face Book page, the burglaries occurred at the business off State Highway 31 sometime between 6:00pm on Thursday, October 8 and 6:15am on Friday, October 9. The suspects are said to have taken hand tools, chains, and batteries from four different vehicles and two trailers at the business. Anyone with information is asked contact Investigator Robinson with the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office at 903-237-2526 or call Crime Stoppers at 903-236-STOP.

GLADEWATER — Gladewater police are looking for a man who have been missing for over a week. Darrius Markeith Lewis, 38, is said to be a man of “diminished capacity.” He was last seen on October 2nd. Lewis is described as a black male who is 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighs 185 pounds and has black hair with brown eyes. If you have information about Lewis, you are asked to contact the Gladewater Police Department.

SULPHUR SPRINGS — One Person is in custody following a fatal shooting in Sulphur Springs. Being held on a $1 million bond is Justin Joe McQueen, 19, of Sulphur Springs. He’s charged in the shooting death of Jesse Vasquez, 25, of Sulphur Springs. He was shot around 8:30 Sunday night in the 600 Block of Ingram Street. Vasquez, who was shot numerous times, was found lying in the road. He later died at an area hospital.

MARSHALL — Two persons are in custody in connection with a drive-by shooting in Marshall. Arrested were James Fields, 28, and Billy Mason, 20. Fields has been charged with deadly conduct and a warrant for possession of drug paraphernalia and Mason has been charged with deadly conduct and a warrant for violation of parole. The shooting is said to have occurred around 10:30 Sunday night in the 1500 block of Fields Street. No injuries were reported.

TYLER — Funeral services are scheduled in Tyler Tuesday for former judge Tom Ramey Jr. Ramey, who died Friday at the age of 90, served as Chief Justice of the 12th Court of Appeals from 1989 to 2000. A senior partner in the Ramey Flock Law firm, Ramey was named Chief Justice Emeritus’ of the Court a few years ago. Funeral services for the former judge and Tyler civic leader will be held Tuesday morning at 11:00 at Tyler’s Marvin United Methodist Church.

TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in the district during the Week of Oct. 12. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues.

Motorists who use Farm Road 2658 in Rusk County for their commutes will have to take alternate routes when the contractor closes a portion of the roadway starting Monday. The closure is necessary to complete the tie-in of a new section of roadway to the existing section. Traffic is being detoured to Farm Road 3231 for the next several weeks. Continue reading TxDOT Road Projects

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Now that Kevin McCarthy has stepped aside, Tyler-based Congressman Louie Gohmert says he’s supporting Dan Webster for House speaker. Gohmert tells KTBB, “Even though he’s less conservative in his voting than I am…he’s a good man. He de-centralized power as speaker of the House in Florida, and I knew he was just the right guy to do that in Washington — desperately needed.” As for this past week’s announcement, Gohmert remarked, “It was a surprise when Kevin McCarthy indicated he was not the person to unite…us together.” But Gohmert terms the move “a selfless, noble act.” Gohmert says he looks forward to the day when the House has someone “that will allow all of the members, Republican and Democrat, to represent their districts. That’s gonna be a great day when that happens.”

TROUP — One person is dead after a car hits a vacant house in Troup. The man is Scott Tune, 45, of Troup. The accident occurred around 8:30 Friday night at the intersection of South Georgia Street and East Wilkinson Drive. He appears to have lost control of his car on a curve and crashed into the house.

LUFKIN — An Angelina County man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations. Phil Bernard Lewis, 47, of Lufkin, pleaded guilty on December 17, 2014, to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. He was sentenced Friday to 300 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Ron Clark. Federal prosecutors say from 2011 to October 2014, Lewis conspired with others to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine from Mexico to customers in the United States, including Lufkin. Much of the cocaine was converted to crack cocaine. Once in Lufkin, Lewis stored the cocaine at several locations, including houses on Dale Street, Booker Street, and East Texas Road, until the drugs were distributed to other dealers.

TYLER – The work of one of the giants in the field of landscape photography is the focus of the Tyler Museum of Art’s next major exhibition, according to information from the museum. “Ansel Adams: Early Works” opens to the public Sunday, Oct. 11, and continues through Jan. 3, 2016. The more than 30 works in the show, drawn from the private collection of Michael Mattis and Judith Hochberg, highlight the small-scale prints Adams produced from the 1920s into the 1950s. TMA Executive Director Chris Leahy points out that the exhibit items are much less familiar than the high-contrast prints on high-gloss paper stock Adams manufactured to order in the 1970s and ’80s. Continue reading New Ansel Adams Exhibit Debuts Sunday at TMA

JACKSONVILLE — Police have arrested a man in connection with a Thursday night murder in Jacksonville. According to KETK, officials said Terry Woods, 44, of Jacksonville, is accused of killing Michael Hatton, also 44. Hatton was shot and killed on Bethune Street sometime after sunset, police said. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Woods was arrested Friday morning when he voluntary surrendered at the JPD headquarters. There are no other persons of interest at this time. The case is ongoing.

GREGG COUNTY — East Texas Regional Airport is announcing completion of the airport terminal building renovation project. A rededication of the Henry Atkinson Terminal Building and ribbon cutting ceremony will be held in the terminal lobby at 10:00 Tuesday morning, October 13. The terminal building was originally constructed in 1946 and has undergone two previous renovations, according to information from Airport Director Roy Miller. The terminal building was named in honor of Judge Henry Atkinson in 1986. That honor will continue with the rededication. Continue reading ETRA Sets Terminal Ribbon-Cutting

SMITH COUNTY — A man has been arrested in Smith County on multiple charges that are similar to charges leveled against him during an August arrest, and a K-9 partner played a key role. On Friday at about 10:00 a.m., a K-9 deputy observed a suspicious man walking on County Road 328 West and observed signs of intoxication, according to officials. Authorities say the deputy attempted a search of the man and felt what he believed to be a weapon in the man’s pants pocket. Officials say the man physically resisted when the deputy tried to detain him and that the two went to the ground. The deputy then deployed his K-9 partner Endy, who officials say was able to separate the two. Continue reading K-9 Partner Helps in Man’s Second Arrest on Multiple Charges

RUSK COUNTY – Authorities in the Kilgore area have taken Millard Wiley III, 32, into custody after he allegedly shot his father earlier this week. According to KETK, deputies and state troopers were called at 4:39 Wednesday afternoon to a shooting on Rusk County Road 167E. They found Millard Wiley Jr. with a gunshot wound to the chest. He was taken to a Tyler hospital, where he is still recovering. The younger Wiley was taken to the county jail and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

LONGVIEW — A fatal accident in which the victim apparently fell out of a car has Longview police looking for leads. Police were dispatched at 7:49 p.m. Thursday to a Young Street location near the Martin Luther King Boulevard intersection. When officers arrived they were told a green, older model Ford Crown Victoria was traveling westbound on Young Street. As the driver of the car turned to travel north on MLK, the driver lost control of the vehicle and struck the west side of a store, causing significant damage to the building. Continue reading Longview Police Search for Driver in Fatal Accident

SMITH COUNTY — Two UPS employees have been identified as the victims of a Smith County Accident. Killed was the driver of an 18-wheeler, William Harris, 54, and his passenger, Dan Banicki, 42, both from Florida. They died in the wreck on Interstate Highway 20 around 11:00 Wednesday night. According to one truck driver, he was hit from behind by another truck, which then caught fire. The driver said he tried to use a fire extinguisher and help the two escape but was unable to get them out. No other injuries were reported.