KTBB News, Weather, Talk

LUFKIN – A homeless man, trapped under a Lufkin bridge by high water, was successfully rescued. Jimmy Taylor, 49, had been resting on a couch under the Chesnut Village bridge when the water started rising. Taylor got on top of the couch inside an air pocket as the water continued to rise. The water had risen to the bottom of the bridge when officers arrived. They called the Lufkin Fire Department to request members of the Swift Water Rescue Team. Fire Department Lt. Jared Sowell, outfitted with swift water rescue gear, was able to rescue Taylor. Continue reading Man Rescued in Lufkin from Rising Waters

TYLER – A man connect to a Mexican drug cartel has been sentenced in Tyler on drug trafficking charges. Regulo Ramirez-Duarte, 22, of Tyler had pleaded guilty to criminal conspiracy to commit possession of marijuana. He was sentenced to three years in prison. This was in connection a total of 15 marijuana fields found growing in East Texas during an 18 month investigation. The man said to be the local ring leader of the group has also been arrested. With his attorney with him, Eduardo Ramirez Pineda, 24, of Tyler, turned himself in to authorities back in April.

LONGVIEW – A traffic stop in Gregg County has resulted in an Overton man being arrested on drug charges. Darrell Euguene Fort Jr., 43, was stopped on Interstate Highway 20 southwest of Longview. Fort is said to have told the deputy he had bags and baggies of marijuana in the vehicle. He also is said he had Ecstasy pills and a small scale and an illegal gun in the vehicle. When the items were found, Fort was charged with drug violations and unlawful carrying a weapon. He’s in the Gegg County Jail under bonds totaling $50,000.

BEN WHEELER – A Smith County woman has died in a one vehicle accident in Van Zandt County. The crash happened shortly before 9:45 Sunday night on Highway 64, east of Ben Wheeler. Dead at the scene was Angela Davidson McCollum, 47, of Tyler. According to the preliminary investigation, her suv was heading south when, for some unknown reason, it left the road. She drove through a grass ditch, hit a culvert and then went airborne. It landed on the passenger side of the vehicle.

ATHENS – A toddler has been killed in a Henderson county accident. The one year old boy wandered onto Highway 175 West, just northwest of Athens. The accident happened shortly after 9:00 Sunday night. Santiago Sanchez was hit by a car driven by a Garland man, who was unable to avoid hitting the youngster. The boy was pronounced dead at the scene. The Department of Public Safety says the accident remains under investigation.

ATHENS — Rami Carroll, 22, was arrested by Henderson County Sheriff’s Deputies Saturday morning. Deputies were responding to a report of a stolen vehicle, which was found stuck in the mud in the Gun Barrel City area. Carroll showed up a short time later and was arrested on site. He was said to be in possession of meth. It’s unclear if he’ll face charges in connection to the stolen vehicle.

LONGVIEW — A Longview woman was arrested Friday after police said she walked into the Longview Museum of Fine Arts and stole food from the museum refrigerator. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, Tyrina Craig, 47, was held without bond Friday in the Gregg County jail, charged with burglary of a building. Police responded about 2 a.m. Friday to an alarm call at LMFA in downtown Longview. Police said they found Craig inside the building eating food from the museum refrigerator.

EAST TEXAS — As the U.S. Senate struggles to come up with a plan to repeal and replace Obamacare, many Republicans in the house are waiting impatiently. East Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert says the proposed senate bill leaves a lot to be desired. He told Fox News, “The Senate, all this time later and they come out with a bill that is not popular enough, because according to people I trust, we’re leaving all of Obamacare in place.” He said, “The premiums aren’t going to come down, the deductibles aren’t going to come down.” But U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and Utah Senator Mike Lee are offering what they call the “consumer freedom option” to the Senate Health Care Bill. They said it would lower premiums through more choices and competition.

TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in TxDOT’s Tyler District during the week of July 10. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues. Slow down and pay attention when traveling through work zones.

Night work will be implemented on the SH 64 resurfacing project starting Sunday between Loop 323 and the Tyler Pounds Airport. The nighttime work will take two to three days as work to apply the new surface is conducted during the day. Lane closures and delays can be expected. Flaggers will provide traffic control. More project information is available in the Smith County section of this story. Continue reading TxDOT’s Weekly Roadwork Update

TYLER — The Northeast Texas Regional Mobility Authority Board of Directors has approved moving forward with Segment 6 (SH 110 to US 271 just south of I-20 on the east side) to a shovel-ready status. On this week’s edition of KTBB’s “In Focus,” NET RMA Executive Director Chris Miller says “shovel-ready” means all environmental work, public hearings, and route confirmation have been completed — a 3-year process. From that point, there is a two-year design phase and a two-year construction phase. That means all things being equal, Segment 6 should be ready for drivers by 2024. Continue reading Work Moving Forward on Toll 49

VAN — A woman and young child have died in a three-vehicle crash Friday night on I-20 near Van. DPS says a Ford F-350 was traveling east when it struck the back of a Ford Taurus, which then crashed into an Audi. The dead were passengers in the Taurus. The woman was 33-year-old Whitney Brewer McGaughey; the 10-month-old victim was not immediately named. The driver of the Taurus, 32-year-old Michael Shawn McGaughey of Plano, was hospitalized in critical condition. Five others were also injured. One was listed in unknown condition, another as stable. Three others, ages 10, 12, and 13, were treated and released.

TYLER — Smith County Road and Bridge crews have begun work to replace a culvert on County Road 229 (Big Oak Bay Road), west of Lake Tyler East. Replacement of the culvert, damaged by flooding last year, will be performed one half at a time to maintain one lane of roadway. While workers are present, flaggers will direct traffic through the worksite. Signs and barricades will be present after hours to alert traffic of the work site and one traffic lane. Work is expected to be completed Friday.

TYLER — Residents had a chance Saturday to meet Joker, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office’s new K9 officer. Joker and his partner, Officer Juan Cervantes, recently graduated after several weeks of training. They join Sergeant Jeff Hobson and K9 Lanny along with Deputy Corey Cameron and K9 Endy. Joker and Officer Cervantes greeted well-wishers at Tyler Sunrise Paws Park during an event hosted by the Tyler Sunrise Rotary Club. Attendees also had a chance to roll up their sleeves for a blood drive benefiting the paws park and Smith County.

TYLER — The Smith County Sheriff’s Office teams up with the East Texas Substance Abuse Coalition to install prescription drug drop boxes for public use, with an eye on preventing prescription drug abuse. According to a news release, unused or expired prescription drugs left in medicine cabinets increase the potential for illicit use, especially by youth. Tyler ISD Career and Technology Center welding students built the boxes, and all materials used were donated by local businesses, so there’s been no cost to taxpayers. More information is due at a news conference and ribbon cutting July 21.

JEFFERSON – No injuries have been reported after two trains collided late Friday morning at an interlocker in Jefferson underneath the Highway 59 bridge, causing damage to an overhead pillar. KETK reports the accident has caused a traffic detour, with the road shut down while the bridge structure is evaluated. Union Pacific said 13 of its cars were derailed. The UP train was traveling from Port Laredo to Yard Center, Illinois, near Chicago. The cause of the accident is unknown at this time. UP and Kansas City Southern Railway Company, which operates the other train, are investigating the collision.

TYLER – Last year, after the death of 5 Dallas police officers, State Senator Kevin Eltife started the “We Back Our Law Enforcement” Campaign. It was to raise funds for body armor vests for law enforcement. Smith County sheriff’s deputies and constables showed off 97 rifle resistant vests Friday. The vests, which will also go to Tyler policemen, cost $204,000. The city and county will pay a portion of the cost. The rest came from the community. The goal was to raise $104,000. But the community drive exceeded that goal. Continue reading Smith County Body Armor On Display

KILGORE- Kilgore police are asking for the public’s help in identifying a man accused of passing stolen checks. The checks were said to have been stolen from an elderly Kilgore resident. The suspect pictured here has tattoos on his left arm from the elbow down, and on the inside of his right arm. He was driving an older model red Dodge Dually extended cab pickup. If you have any information, you are asked to contact the Kilgore Police Department.

LONGVIEW – A Longview woman, arrested on warrants, is now also facing drug charges. Sydney Beth Caldemeyer, 38, was first arrested on two outstanding warrants. According to the Longview News Journal, while being taking to jail, she faked a seizure and then threw herself on the ground and resisted arrest. On her way to jail she told an officer she had a bag containing an illegal substance in her underwear. Female jailers found the bag containing methamphetamine. She remains in jail in lieu of bonds totaling $7,000.

TYLER – A Smith County man has been indicted for the sexual abuse of a child. The grand jury, last week, returned the indictment against 31 year old Mark James Nunley of Lindale. He was arrested last December for continuous sexual abuse of a child. The youngster was under the age of 14. The youngster described being sexually abused repeatedly by Nunley for an extended period of time. An adult told investigators they had caught the suspect in the act of abusing the child. Nunley remains free on a $350,000 bond.

ATHENS — A traffic stop by a Henderson County Sheriff Deputy early Thursday morning landed a Larue man in jail. According to the Henderson County Sheriff’s department, Brandon Curtis Justice, 37, was driving with two passengers on County Road 4712 when he was pulled over for an alleged traffic violation. The deputy found two firearms in his truck, including a 12-guage shotgun that had been reported stolen during a burglary. Justice was booked into the Henderson County Jail. The passengers were released.

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County District Attorney Matt Bingham has been granted a request to be recused from the case of a Smith County commissioner. According to KETK, on May 19, the 241st Judicial District Court granted the Smith County DA’s motion to be recused from The State of Texas vs. Joann Hampton and ordered the appointment of a district attorney pro tem. Prosecutor Chris Martin, from the Van Zandt County District Attorney’s Office, has been selected to represent the state in place of Bingham’s office. Hampton turned herself in at the Smith County Jail on one count of injury to an elderly individual. Continue reading Smith County DA Granted Recusal from Commissioner’s Case

AUSTIN – An Anderson County man has been added to the Department of Public Safety’s 10 most wanted list. Briggs Clinton Lawhon, 57, who last know address was in Palestine, has been on the run for two years. A a Bandidos gang member, Lawhon has a long criminal history, including aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon, assault, burglary and delivery of methamphetamine. The Board of Pardons and Paroles issued a warrant for his arrest last year. A reward of up to $7,500 has been offered for information leading to his arrest.

DALLAS (ABC) – A year ago Friday, five police officers were gunned down after a peaceful demonstration in downtown Dallas. The five are being remembered in a variety of ways. Tyler Police will honor them with their patrol vehicles in front of the police department. The patrol cars’ emergency lights will be activated for one minute at 10:00 Friday morning. On Thursday, a memorial was unveiled in Dallas to honor the five men, one who had been married only two weeks. Their families attended the unveiling of the Dallas Circle of Heroes Memorial two miles from the site of the Dallas ambush.

TYLER – Tyler police now report a portion of U.S. Highway 271, which had been closed, has been reopened. It had been shut down in the 10800 block, at East Nutbush, due to an eighteen-wheeler blocking all lanes.

EAST TEXAS – Low-interest federal disaster loans are available to some area businesses and residents affected by the severe storms that occurred May 28 and 29. The Small Business Administration has announced the loans are in response to a request SBA received from Governor Greg Abbott on June 28. The disaster declaration makes SBA assistance available in Gregg, Harrison, Rusk, Smith and Upshur counties. The low-interest federal disaster loans are available to businesses of all sizes, most private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters whose property was damaged or destroyed by late May storms. Continue reading Five Area Counties Available for SBA Disaster Loans

TYLER – Tyler police have released the video of a robbery suspect. The video can be found on the police department’s Facebook page. It shows the lone gunman robbing the Exxon station on the North Northeast Loop at Commerce Street. The robbery occurred last Saturday morning around 3:00. The suspect is described as being possibly a Hispanic male with a dark beard. He was wearing a black hat, a black jacket, and black pants. He fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of money. No injuries were reported.

LONGVIEW – A Longview man is heading to prison for a robbery in November, 2015. According to KETK, 30 year old Brandon Clifton Cole III has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. He had pleaded guilty to robbing the Walmart store on East Loop 281. Witnesses say Cole pulled out a gun and began demanding money from a clerk at the Money Center inside the store. He was given an undisclosed amount of money and ran off. Cole was found him a short time later in the area of Harmon Drive and Eubanks Street. Officers recovered the stolen money and the gun used in the robbery.

TYLER – A Smith County capital murder trial is being moved to early next year. State District Judge Jack Skeen is moving the Gustavo Zavala Garcia trial to next February. He took the action Thursday morning after the defense and state requested more time. Both said there is still a large amount of information that needs to be reviewed and forensic testing that is being done. Garcia has been charged with the death of 10 year old Kayla Gomez-Orozco. She disappeared last November from a Bullard church during worship service. Her body was found days later inside a well on the suspect’s property. District attorney Matt Bingham has filed his intent to seek the death penalty in the case.