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LONGVIEW — The Gregg County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate the death of a two year old child. It happened Sunday morning around 8:30. Deputies responded to an address on Mosely Circle North for an assist EMS call. Officials said Michael Lane Echols, 2, apparently woke up before other family members and unlocked an outside door and left the residence. Family members searched for the child and he was located behind a neighbors fenced in yard in a swimming pool. The father pulled Michael from the pool and contacted EMS. The child later died at Good Shepherd Medical Center. The child’s body was sent for autopsy at the Forensic Center in Tyler. Gregg County Investigators are following up on the circumstances leading up to the death.

JACKSONVILLE — According to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, the victim in Friday evening’s fatal mobile home fire in Jacksonville has been identified as Cedric McCuin, 42. According to KETK, officials believe the fire started in the kitchen due to most of the damage being centered around that area of the home. McCuin also told his brother he was going to fix dinner right before the fire broke out. The case remains under investigation.

TYLER — According to the Tyler Police Department, a Sunday morning crash that demolished the side of the Tyler Area Builders Association on West Grande Boulevard was likely caused from a combination of alcohol and a high rate of speed. Authorities tell KETK the driver, Taylor Brian Swinford, 24, of Tyler, was taken to a local hospital after the accident with unknown injuries and has since been released. No charges have been filed; however, the case is still under investigation. TABA officials say the association’s Parade of Homes will not be affected by the crash. The event is scheduled for June 1-9.

TYLER — A Tyler man was arrested Monday morning after police say he hit an officer in the face. According to KETK, police were called to the scene of a reported disturbance on Summerkamp St. just after 7:00 a.m. According to police reports, four people were arguing in a house. As their argument escalated, a woman in the group reportedly picked up a knife and allegedly threatened the others. Officials say the woman eventually dropped the knife and the group began to fight. Continue reading Police: Tyler Man Hits Officer in Face, Arrested for Assault

NACOGDOCHES — Nacogdoches Police are searching for a man following an aggravated robbery. KETK reports it happened at a duplex on the 2200 block of Lola Street just before 1:30 Tuesday morning. A caller told officers that while she was at her house, a man kicked in her door and assaulted her. She said he threatened her with a hammer and forced her to give him money from her purse before leaving. The robber is described as a black man in his mid-20s, about 5’7″ – 5’10″ tall. He was last seen wearing a white shirt and dark pants. If you have any information, you are urged to contact the Nacogdoches Police Department.

SMITH COUNTY — A man rolls his truck in Smith County Monday afternoon and is arrested for alleged drunk driving. KETK reports it happened along the 12000 block of South Hillcreek Road, near Whitehouse. Authorities say the truck rolled after the man lost control. No one was hurt. The man’s name was not immediately released.

TYLER — A plane landed in a Smith County field after developing mechanical trouble. KETK reports the single engine aircraft landed in the field between Tyler and Whitehouse, near County Road 2191 and Loop 49. The pilot was not injured and the plane was not damaged. The FAA was contacted.

NACOGDOCHES — A man, said to have been armed with a knife and a pit bull, is accused of threatening his ex-girlfriend. Arrested by Nacogdoches County authorities was O’Brian Duke, 30, of Nacogdoches. He is accused of burglary of a habitation with intent to commit assault and interference with a 9-1-1 emergency call.

KETK reports authorities were sent to a home on Highway 7 Sunday morning. Duke had left by the time officers arrived. A short time later he was found walking down the road with a pit bull. He is accused of breaking into the woman’s house armed with a knife and the dog. He is accused of trying to make the pit bull attack the woman. When the woman called 9-1-1, Duke is accused of breaking the phone and choking the victim. Duke was booked into the Nacogdoches County Jail. The dog was turned over to animal control officers.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — An Edgewood man has been killed in a one-vehicle crash in Van Zandt County. The accident was reported at 1:28 Sunday morning on FM 1395, half a mile west of Farm Road 859. The DPS says a pickup driven by Pablo Salinas Herrera, 20, was eastbound when it ran off the roadway and overturned. Herrera was pronounced dead at the scene. He was not wearing a seatbelt.

TYLER — Retired Air Force Staff Sgt. Tom Parker of the Disabled American Veterans keynoted the annual Memorial Day observance at Tyler’s Memorial Park Cemetery. Parker reminded the large crowd that the day is not about celebrating the beginning of summer or a holiday from work. According to Parker, “Today is a solemn day of remembrance, a day that should be properly set aside for contemplation. Ask yourself where you would be without the personal sacrifices made by these men and women.” Special touches included patriotic music, a fallen warrior procession, a 21-gun salute, and adorning of a wreath in memory of fallen military members.

TYLER — A deli delivery truck has been destroyed by fire. The truck caught fire around 12:45 Sunday afternoon at the Exxon station station near the UT Health Northest on U.S. 271. KETK reports there were no injuries and firemen kept the fire from spreading. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

AUSTIN (AP) — Texas school teachers would receive training to identify mental illness in their classrooms under a measure that has cleared the Texas Legislature. Lawmakers sent the bill to the governor on Sunday. It would add the training to the requirements for a teaching certificate. Republican Senator Robert Deuell of Greenville has said about a million students in the state suffer from illnesses and addictions that contribute to failing grades, misbehavior, crime and sometimes suicide. He proposed the training to help teachers manage their classrooms. Supporters including mental health care advocates and teaching union officials likened the proposal to training teachers to perform CPR. Libertarian groups argued that the proposal could lead teachers to intervene in family matters and could lead to excessive use of medication.

TYLER — Here’s a quick look at work planned in the Tyler District of the Texas Department of Transportation.

HENDERSON – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to begin approximately three weeks of pavement-repair work on U.S. Highway 79 between South Loop 571 and the Star. Also this week in Rusk County, TxDOT maintenance crews are scheduled to perform resurfacing operations on Farm Road 1249 between the Gregg County Line just east of Kilgore and Farm Road 2276. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress. Motorists are encouraged to be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the work zones. Continue reading TxDOT Project Updates

PALESTINE — The West Nile virus season is upon us. Carrie Williams with the state health department says a man from Anderson County is recovering — marking the first case of the year. She hopes this year won’t be like last. “Last year was unprecedented,” says Williams. “We had record high numbers of cases. It was the worst year we’ve ever had in Texas of West Nile activity.” North Texas was ground zero for the virus last year; there were 1,868 human cases last year and 89 deaths. Williams says you can protect yourself by using an insect repellent with DEET and wearing long sleeves. Also be aware that disease carrying mosquitoes are most active at dusk and dawn.

TYLER — East Texas will be busy Monday with Memorial Day observances. One that always draws a big crowd is scheduled for 11:00am at the Tyler Memorial Park Field of Honor at 12053 State Highway 64 West. Organizers say all veterans and the general public are invited to attend.

TYLER — The Tyler Area Builders Association building was damaged Sunday morning after a truck ran off the road and crashed into the side of the building. Tyler police told KETK the accident happened at around 1:00 Sunday morning in the 1500 block of Grande Boulevard. Police say a 24-year old man was driving at a high rate of speed, hit a curb and crashed into the building. He was pulled from the vehicle and transported to a local hospital and treated for non-life threatening injuries. Police say witnesses on seen reported seeing the truck, along with another, racing before the incident. Police are investigating whether or not alcohol was involved. Continue reading Truck Crashes Into TABA Building; Parade of Homes Not Affected

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — A 71-year-old Wills Point woman died Saturday afternoon on Texas 64, near CR 3409, in Van Zandt County. According to the Longview News-Journal, Georgia Britt was driving a 2004 Chevrolet Silverado pickup eastbound on the highway when she pulled out from a private drive and into the path of a 2002 Ford pickup occupied by 67-year-old driver Patricia McDaniel and passenger Tommy McDaniel, 58. Britt was pronounced dead at Trinity Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler, where the McDaniels are each listed in stable condition with cuts and bruises. Everyone involved was wearing a seatbelt.

WOOD COUNTY — A 22-year-old woman died early Thursday morning in a one-vehicle rollover wreck in Wood County. A 2001 Chevrolet Suburban driven by Megan Trimble of Big Sandy was traveling northeast on FM 2869 about 3:30 when the vehicle went into a side skid and rolled after Trimble over-corrected on a curve east of CR 3490. According to the Longview News-Journal, Trimble was pronounced dead at Trinity Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler by Smith County Justice of the Peace Mitch Shamburger. A passenger in the vehicle, Tiffany Weathersby, 25, of Hawkins, is in stable condition at the hospital with upper body injuries and head trauma. DPS Trooper Luke Swinnea said road conditions were clear, and neither occupant was wearing a seatbelt.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — A 71-year-old Wills Point woman died Saturday afternoon on Texas 64, near CR 3409, in Van Zandt County. According to the Longview News-Journal, Georgia Britt was driving a 2004 Chevrolet Silverado pickup eastbound on the highway when she pulled out from a private drive and into the path of a 2002 Ford pickup occupied by 67-year-old driver Patricia McDaniel and passenger Tommy McDaniel, 58. Britt was pronounced dead at Trinity Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler, where the McDaniels are each listed in stable condition with cuts and bruises. Everyone involved was wearing a seat belts.

TYLER — The Texas Department of Public Safety, Tyler Police Department, Smith County Sheriff’s Office, and Texas Game Wardens have joined together to work in Smith County this weekend on Operation Reclaim. Officers will be looking for drunk drivers, public intoxication, individuals not wearing a seatbelt, and other violations. Continue reading Operation Reclaim at Lake Tyler

TYLER — As families across East Texas kick off the summer and honor our military heroes this Memorial Day weekend, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) East Texas urges motorists to stay safe on the road during a time of year when drunk driving deaths typically increase. Over Memorial Day weekend in 2010 158 people were killed in drunk driving crashes nationwide. “In an effort to keep people safe on the roads this holiday weekend, MADD has some tips to help,” said Leslie Watson, MADD East Texas. “It’s our sincere hope that this information, coupled with law enforcement’s efforts to deter and detect drunk driving, will help keep our community safe.” Continue reading MADD East Texas Provides Memorial Day Weekend Safety Tips

TYLER — Tyler police are again engaging in a couple of safety efforts for the Memorial Day holiday. Click It or Ticket was already underway, and the “No Refusal” DWI campaign kicked in Friday. Continue reading Tyler Police, Others Ramp Up Memorial Day Traffic Efforts

Gregg County — A Longview man was arrested Thursday morning after police said he choked his pregnant girlfriend. According to KETK, Anthony Dewayne Bagley, 26, was arrested at 9:45 by Longview police responding to a reported assault in the 700 block of S. Green Street. “Bagley shoved his girlfriend, who is pregnant with his unborn child against the kitchen wall and placed his forearm against her throat,” the probable cause affidavit for his arrest said. Bagley was held on suspicion of assault family violence strangulation. He was held Friday in the Gregg County Jail on a $7,500 bond.

ANGELINA COUNTY — An East Texas man is now behind bars after evading arrest and being found with drug paraphernalia. It happened around 10:00 p.m. in the 400 block of Birch Street in Lufkin. According to KETK, Edmond D. Fowler, 33, was found trespassing onto someone’s property. When officers arrived on the scene, Fowler fled from police on foot. He was later caught after a short foot chase. Fowler was found to have crack cocaine in his pockets, and also had two warrants through Angelina County Sheriff’s Office. He is currently in Angelina County Jail on a bond of $5,000.

JACKSONVILLE — Fire crews responded to a mobile home fire in Jacksonville Friday night on CR 3302. It happened a little after 7:00. According to KETK, a man was in the mobile home at the time of the fire and was killed. His name has not been released. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

TYLER — A motorcycle wreck in Tyler Friday evening has left a Tyler woman dead. It happened around 5:20 at the intersection of Grande and Sutherland. According to Tyler Police, the driver of a black Ford F150 was heading east on Grande and turning left onto Sutherland when he failed to yield right of way to the motorcycle. The driver of the motorcycle, identified as Jessica Gaspard, 36, Tyler, crashed into the truck. Gaspard was transported to a local hospital and later died from her injuries. She was not wearing a helmet. There were no injuries to the occupants of the truck. The investigation is ongoing at this time and no charges have been filed.

TYLER — An apartment fire in Tyler Friday afternoon has ended with no injuries and one man in custody. Around 5:10, Tyler Police and Fire Departments responded to an apartment complex at 710 S. Kennedy for a reported structure fire. Upon arrival Police and Fire units found one apartment completely engulfed in flames. The building was evacuated. As officials were extinguishing the blaze, the were notified of an altercation in the front of the building. Several men were struggling with a male subject, later identified as Cantrell Sash. The group of men told officials that Sash had set the fire. Authorities said evidence gathered at the scene and through subsequent questioning showed that Sash had deliberately set the fire in his own apartment. Sash was arrested for arson of a habitation and was booked into the Smith County Jail. No injuries were reported but the fire did cause extensive damage to the structure. The case is still under investigation with the Tyler Fire Marshalls.

SMITH COUNTY — Winona and Jackson Heights Fire Departments responded to reports of a school bus fire around 4:00 p.m. on Friday on I-20 near the Highway 155 exit. KETK reports the bus driver was the only person on the bus at the time of the fire and he is okay. There was no immediate of the fire’s cause or the extent of damage.

AUSTIN (AP/Staff) – Republican state Senator Kevin Eltife of Tyler is among a growing number of lawmakers convinced their work won’t be finished next week. Governor Rick Perry isn’t saying whether he’ll order lawmakers to stay at the Capitol for a special legislative session. The regular 140-day session ends Monday.

LONGVIEW — Throughout the next month, the City of Longview will be in the process of mailing the 2012 Water Quality Report to all customers who receive a water bill from the City. This year, the report will be mailed out along with the water bills instead of as a separate mail-out. Continue reading 2012 Water Quality Report Released