KTBB News, Weather, Talk

LONGVIEW — A Tatum High School student has died after a Sunday evening one-vehicle crash in Rusk County. Lillian Propes, 16, was pronounced dead at about 5:45pm at Good Shepherd Medical Center in Longview after being taken from the scene of the crash, according to Justice of the Peace B.H. Jameson. The crash happened on Highway 43 between Tatum and Henderson. Jameson said the teen’s vehicle left the roadway, rolled and hit a tree. Reports indicate she may have been texting at the time of the accident.

TYLER — Tyler police confirm Christopher Summerville, 26, has been released from a local hospital. Summerville was arrested last week after allegedly shooting Smith County Deputy Josh Caulkins in the chest. According to KETK, Caulkins was trying to serve Summerville a warrant. Caulkins was wearing a vest and received only minor injuries. Police say Summerville was hospitalized at East Texas Medical Center for an overdose of methamphetamine that he reportedly had injected into his body just prior to the arrest warrant being served. Summerville is currently being held in the Smith County Jail on a $500,000 bond. Two others were also arrested at the time the warrant was served on Summerville.

TYLER (AP) – An East Texas deputy has died of head injuries suffered when he was attacked by an injured cow while he directed traffic around the half-ton animal. Smith County Sheriff J.B. Smith says Deputy Robert Britton of Tyler died Monday at East Texas Medical Center in Tyler, where he’d been since the incident early Thursday near Bullard, 95 miles southeast of Dallas and 15 miles south of Tyler. Smith had said the 54-year-old deputy had responded to a report of a stray cow struck by a vehicle and was directing traffic on Farm Road 344 when the cow charged him. He says Britton was knocked into the air and landed head-first on the pavement before the animal continued the attack until other deputies rescued Britton. Smith says the cow was euthanized. Britton had served as a deputy for the Smith County Sheriff’s Department since 1992.

TYLER — A North Texas woman is in the Smith County Jail charged with operating a massage business without a license and offering to engage in sexual conduct for a fee. The woman is identified as Qin Zhang, 48, of Plano. The business is Healthy Massage, located at 1420 West Southwest Loop 323. Authorities say the Tyler Police Department received several complaints that the massage business was allegedly operating without a license and that illegal sexual conduct may have been occurring. Zhang was arrested by Tyler undercover officers Friday evening at the business after undercover officers entered the business and allegedly confirmed the illegal activity.

HENDERSON — Rusk County officials are seeking public help as they investigate the theft of more than $5,000 worth of diesel fuel. Sheriff’s department officials said thieves broke into W.T. Byler Co. near CR 270 and stole 1,500 gallons of fuel from a 2,000-gallon tank earlier this month. The diesel is valued at about $5,250. Officials are asking anyone with information about the theft to contact Rusk County Crime Stoppers at 903- 655-TIPS or the sheriff’s department at 903-657-3581. A reward of up to $1,000 is being offered for any information leading to the arrest of the people responsible for the theft.

TYLER — Tyler ISD is participating in a new study to help school districts improve communication with employees, parents and others in the school community. Approximately 100 school districts across the United States and Canada are participating in the survey at no cost to the school districts. Some 100 school districts throughout the United States have agreed to participate in the survey as part of a national study to make communication more effective at the classroom, school building and district levels.

“We see this survey being a “win-win” for Tyler ISD and the profession of school communication,” said Angela Jenkins, Tyler ISD Director of Communications. “We will receive new, valuable information on the type of content and delivery methods our parents and others prefer, at no cost to the District,” Jenkins added.

All responses are confidential. School officials will receive the results from the community survey in late spring. Tyler ISD plans to use the results to refine the district’s current communication effort and improve its effectiveness. The compiled results from the 100 school districts will be announced in July by NSPRA and no identification will be given to individual school districts.

The survey will be offered by NSPRA’s partner, K12 Insight, Inc. through an email system beginning on March 22 and concluding on April 8. The research is part of a communication accountability program of the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA). NSPRA is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving all facets of communication in school communities. The survey firm, K12 Insight, Inc., is donating its services for this project to NSPRA.

JACKSONVILLE – A weekend accident in Cherokee County has killed one person. Killed in the two vehicle crash was David Lynn Davenport, 20, of Jacksonville. The crash occurred shortly before 10:45 Saturday night on Farm Road 347, about five miles south of Jacksonville. The Department of Public Safety reports it appears as if Davenport was traveling at a high rate of speed when his car hit a parked trailer. The report also said he was not wearing his seat belt.

CANTON – A weekend drug bust has resulted in seven persons being arrested at the Motel 6 in Canton. Authorities received a tip that that methamphetamine was being used and sold there. When officers raided a room at the motel they saw a large quantity of methamphetamine and as well as prescription medications. The suspects have been charged with two counts of manufacture and/or delivery of a controlled substance, They are identified as year old Russell Lynn Turner, 36, of Gilmer; Ian Joseph Daley ,25, Barbra Ann Pritchett, 29, and Holly Renee Hortman, 42, all of Mineola; Edward Robert Preston, 40,of Fruitvale and Kimberly Ann Herring, 21, and Matthew John Prough, 25, both of Canton.

TYLER – A large grass fire, that consumed over 40 acres east of Tyler, is under control. It started early Friday afternoon off the old Kilgore Highway and Farm Road 757. The fire is said to have started from the land owner’s truck, which had developed a mechanical problem. He was able to escape the burning truck and was not injured.

NACOGDOCHES – Nacogdoches police are trying to identify the body of a man found in a duplex parking area. The body was found just before 6:45 Saturday evening when a person in the area saw the body and called 9-1-1. An autopsy has been ordered.

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

LONGVIEW — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform pavement-repair operations on Loop 281 between State Highway 31 and U.S. Highway 259 (Estes Parkway). Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and motorists are encouraged to be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the work zone.

Also this week in Gregg County, TxDOT contractor Knife River announced today its plans to shift traffic to the newly constructed lanes on the State Highway 135 project north of Interstate 20 beginning mid-week. Motorists are encouraged to use caution in and around the construction zone.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform pavement-repair operations on State Highway 19 in Canton between Interstate Highway 20 and State Highway 64. A second crew will be performing fog-seal operations on Farm Road 751 between Wills Point and the Hunt County Line. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic in two-lane areas.

RUSK COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform edge and pavement repairs on Farm Road 13, west of State Highway 42 in Price. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

WOOD COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to be at work on the following roadways in and around Wood County:
*U.S. Highway 80 east of Farm Road 1255;
Farm Road 778 north of Farm Road 49; and
Farm Road 857 south of U.S. Highway 80.
Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic in two-lane areas.

LONGVIEW — Longview Police are searching for two burglary suspects after a car chase and one arrest. It happened Wednesday night around 10:30 in the 100 Block of Hubbard Drive. Officers were told by the victims that three black males armed with semi-automatic handguns had kicked in the door of the residence and stole an undetermined amount of cash. The victims stated the suspects brandished the weapons and demanded money. Once the suspects got the money, they fled on foot from the home.

While Officers were responding to the victim’s house another officer located what was determined to be the suspect’s vehicle traveling North on Estes Parkway and were attempting to pull the suspects over when a chase began. During the pursuit the suspects threw out several items from the moving vehicle. Two of the suspects jumped from the moving car and ran into the woods. The driver of the car stopped the vehicle and was taken into custody. Ledarvion Deante George, 24, of Longview was taken into custody. Authorities were unable to locate the other two suspects at that time. Officers went back to the location where the items were thrown from the vehicle and located 3 handguns and a bag containing approximately 11 pounds of marijuana. George was booked into the Gregg County Jail for evading arrest, possession of marijuana 5 – 50 pounds, and burglary of a habitation with intent to commit another felony. George remains in the Gregg County Jail on bonds totaling $120,000.00.

SMITH COUNTY — Two men were taken to a Tyler hospital Saturday for “significant” injuries after their 2002 Ford Ranger crashed into a creek bed on Farm Road 724 near Tyler Pounds Airport. The Department of Public Safety says the driver fell asleep and their pickup ran off of the road around 4:00 Saturday afternoon. The driver made the 911 call, but he was unaware of his location, so first responders had to “ping” his cell phone to locate the vehicle.

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Sheriff’s Deputy Robert Britton is still fighting for his life tonight after he was hit by a cow while directing traffic. Law enforcement across the county are waiting and praying for his recovery, including Bullard Police chief Gary Lewis. Lewis calls it a “freak accident.” “He was doing what he was doing to protect others. It could happen a hundred times again and not have hurt anybody,” he says. Lewis was driving on Farm Road 344 near Bullard at 1:30 Thursday morning when he saw what looked like the scene of an accident. He turned around to see if a car was in the ditch, and saw a cow in the middle of the road. He says the cow appeared to have been hit by a car, and there were skid marks.

Since the cow was lying in the road in a valley, Lewis says it would have been hard for drivers to see it and stop in time. That’s when he called Smith County Sheriff’s Deputies to help direct traffic. Deputy Robert Britton was one of them. Lewis says as they were directing traffic, the cow, which hadn’t been moving, got up without warning and started heading toward him and Britton. He says the cow hit Britton in the chest and knocked him over. “His feet went up and hit the back of his head. I was standing within a few feet of him and kind of picked his head up. I put my hand under his head and was trying to talk to him, but he was uconscience, his body stiffened up,” says Lewis.

Deputy Britton suffered head and neck injuries. The Department of Public Safety tells us the cow’s owner could be at fault for having a cow outside of a fence. Officials say the driver could face charges for leaving the accident, since the cow is considered property. So far, the cow’s owner and driver are both unknown.

TYLER — One student was taken to the hospital, one woman was cited after a wreck involving a Tyler school bus. It happened Friday afternoon around 4:25. Officers say Tyler Independent School District bus #35, occupied by
approximately 30 students from Dogan Middle School and John Tyler, had been north bound on Loop 323 at Garden Valley and slowed for traffic that was
stopped ahead. Jesus Dominguez of Tyler was driving a white Chevrolet Tahoe behind the bus. Mr. Dominguez abruptly changed lanes in an attempt to pass the bus on the left. The right front of Mr. Dominguez vehicle struck the back left of the bus. One student was transported to the hospital by EMS as a precaution. All others were transferred to another bus. Dominguez was cited for failing to control speed.

LONGVIEW — A Longview man has been charged in a South Longview shooting, police said Friday. Armando Lorenzo Kaluakini, 28, remained in the Gregg County Jail on $20,000 bond, charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Police said he shot Daniel Correa twice September 12, while Correa was in his driveway in the 1700 block of Holly Street. Correa was shot in the shoulder and abdomen, court records show. He told police a Lincoln Navigator with two occupants was parked in his driveway.

Correa said he recognized the driver, Delfino “Capin” Rodriguez, 37; the other man was later identified as Kaluakini, court records showed. Correa told police he believed the shooting was related to an incident with Rodriguez on September 11 in Upshur County. Police arrested Rodriguez 12 days after the shooting, and he has been jailed on $30,000 bond and an immigration detainer. Rodriguez and Kaluakini are charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Kaluakini served a 10-year sentence for aggravated assault and aggravated robbery in Gregg County in 2000.

LONGVIEW — Police in Longview respond to an armed suspect call and arrest a 20-year-old. Corie James Reed Jr. of Longview remained jailed Friday on $12,000 bond, charged with drug possession, unlawfully carrying a weapon and evading arrest. Longview police responding to an “armed subject” call and found Reed at Johnson Street Apartments in the 400 block of Johnson Street shortly after 3 p.m. Thursday, according to reports. Police said Reed tried to hide a Bryco semi-automatic handgun and run from authorities, who caught him a short distance away on Craig Street. Authorities found the gun and 4.8 grams of crack cocaine, reports showed.

TYLER — Tyler Investigators have been informed that James Schell has been located in Marshall, Texas and is ok. The information has been confirmed by Marshall Police Department. James Earl Schell, 44, Tyler, was reported missing on March 24, when he failed to return home.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — Canton Police arrested seven suspects on drug charges after receiving a tip that methamphetamine was being sold at the Motel 6. Authorities say they received a call about a man looking into the windows of rooms at the motel at around 2:00 this morning. After attempting to detain a man outside the room, officers chased the man into a hotel bathroom, where he attempted to flush a loaded syringe. A large amount of suspected methamphetamine, along with Xanax, were clearly visible.

Taken into custody were: Holly Renee Hortman, 42, of Mineola; Edward Robert Preston, 40, of Fruitvale; Russell Lynn Turner, 36, Gilmer; Barbra Ann Pritchett, 29, of Mineola; Ian Joseph Daley, 25, of Mineola; Matthew John Prough, 25, of Canton: and Kimberly Ann Herring, 21, of Canton. They all face charges of manufacture and/or delivery of a controlled substance.

LUFKIN (AP) – An East Texas man has been convicted of showing two siblings child pornography and then forcing the youngsters to perform sex acts on each other. Wesley Don Parish, 52, of Diboll was sentenced to 10 years on each of 2 counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child. A jury in Lufkin late Thursday convicted Parish of aggravated sexual assault of the children he was baby-sitting. Investigators say the girl was 8 and the boy was 6. Parish testified that the children were lying about him and that he overheard the boy ask the girl to perform a sex act on him. Parish says he told the children it was bad behavior and to stop. Parish was indicted in December.

TYLER — Tyler’s big spring showcase event, the Azalea and Spring Flower Trail, kicks off today and runs through April 10. Susan Travis is assistant vice president of tourism and servicing for the Tyler Convention and Visitors Bureau. She predicts another year of solid local economic impact, as strong as last year’s $3.2 million or stronger. Travis says things went well in 2010 despite a late blast of winter weather, and that’s not in the forecast this go-round. She points out that the azaleas are already blooming.

There are plenty of activities on the schedule. You can go to http://www.tylerazaleatrail.com for more information. For complimentary visitor packets, go to http://www.visittyler.com or call 1-800-235-5712. You can also check the ktbb.com Calendar of Events for information on the various activities.

TYLER — Tyler police are investigating the death of a teenager. Shortly after 6:45 Thursday morning, Tyler Police, Fire, and EMS were called to 3017 Brookdale on an unresponsive 17 year-old. Officers were told the mother had entered her son’s room to wake her son for school and found him unresponsive. Emergency personnel on the scene were unable to revive the young man. Smith County Justice of the Peace James Meredith pronounced Jacob Aaron Green, age 17, dead at the scene. Tyler Investigators arrived and had the body taken to Southeast Texas Forensic Center for an autopsy. Preliminary results indicate that Green, a student at Robert E. Lee High School, died from an accidental overdose of prescription medication.

TYLER – Authorities say a 32-year-old Mexican national illegally living in Tyler has been sentenced to federal prison for drug violations in the Eastern District of Texas. Jorge Blas-Mundo pleaded guilty on Aug. 26, 2010, to being involved in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine. He was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison on Mar. 23 by U.S. District Judge Leonard E. Davis during a Tyler proceeding. Blas-Mundo was also ordered to submit to the forfeiture of $50,000.

According authorities, from an unknown date until Apr. 23, 2010, Blas-Mundo conspired with others to distribute more than 500 grams of pure methamphetamine in the Smith County area. Blas-Mundo was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 6, 2010 and charged with drug trafficking violations.

TYLER – A 22-year-old Henderson man has pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking charges in the Eastern District of Texas. Kylon Jeffery Henson pleaded guilty in Tyler on Mar. 23 to possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love. According to information presented in court, beginning in 2009, Henson possessed approximately 18 grams of crack cocaine with intentions to distribute it in the East Texas area. Henson was indicted by a federal grand jury on Feb. 2, 2011 and charged with federal drug trafficking violations. Henson faces a minimum of five years in federal prison at sentencing. A sentencing date has not been set.

TYLER — 22-year-old Matthew Dwayne Patton of Tyler, named as the suspect shot by Smith County Deputy Constable Derek Phillips in a home invasion, was released from East Texas Medical Center Thursday. Tyler Officers arrested Patton at the hospital and charged him with burglary of habitation, a first-degree felony. Patton was transported to Smith County Jail. Bond was set at $250,000.00

On March 3, police responded to the Wood Trail Apartment Homes at 1909 Shiloh Rd., apartment # 118, on a report of a home invasion with shots fired. Officers arrived, found Patton shot in the upper chest inside the apartment, and were told that a second suspect had run away on foot. Patton was hospitalized. Phillips was visiting a friend who lived in the apartment. The second suspect, 21-year-old Patric Thurston of Tyler, was later caught. He was charged with first-degree felony burglary and transported to Smith County Jail. According to a police report, officers recovered a semi-automatic handgun that was thrown into the woods when Thurston fled the area. Initial details of the investigation indicated that the home invasion was a random act of violence by the two suspects.

TYLER — A Tyler man has been arrested after allegedly making threats in his neighborhood. Steve Slay Laughlin was taken into custody on unrelated charges. There have been three separate reports in just one week of Laughlin waving a firearm and threatening to shoot people. One neighbor says, “He has said that he has a gun on him and if anything gets in his yard, be it a pet, an adult, or a child, he will not discriminate on which and he will handle the problem.” The resident said she wants to remain anonymous, in fear of retaliation. Tyler police say they’ve been out to the house several times in the past week. Public record shows Laughlin has two counts of theft and one alcohol related charge on his record. We’ll have more on this story as more information is released.

TYLER – A 23-year-old Irving man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug violations in the Eastern District of Texas. Peter Keovongphet pleaded guilty on May 20, 2010, to being involved in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 94 months in federal prison Wednesday in Tyler by U.S. District Judge Leonard E. Davis.

According to prosecutors, on July 14, 2009, Keovongphet was arrested in Smith County with approximately a half pound of methamphetamine in his possession. An investigation revealed that since 2007, Keovongphet was involved in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Dallas County, which was then transported through the Eastern District of Texas for redistribution. Keovongphet was indicted by a federal grand jury on Aug. 5, 2009 and charged with drug trafficking violations.

SMITH COUNTY — Authorities investigate a vicious robbery. It happened on Smith County Road 150, where a man says he was hanging out with friends when he was approached by three men. Sheriff’s Lt. Tony Dana says a shotgun was pulled on the victim as he was ordered to strip down to his underwear. Dana says the men robbed him of his money, cellphone, and prescription drugs, including methadone, Xanax, Klonopin, and Adderall. The victim was able to get to a gas station and call for help.

BULLARD (AP) – An East Texas deputy who was directing traffic away from an injured stray cow is hospitalized in critical condition after being attacked by the half-ton animal. Smith County Sheriff J.B. Smith says Deputy Robert Britton of Tyler early Thursday responded to a call about a cow hit by a vehicle near Bullard. Smith told The Associated Press that the 54-year-old deputy was directing traffic on County Road 344 when the cow charged him. The sheriff says Britton was knocked into the air, landed on his head and “then the animal continued the assault.” Other deputies rescued Britton. He was in critical condition in intensive care at East Texas Medical Center in Tyler. Smith says the cow has been put down. The owner is sought.

TYLER — An officer is shot while serving a warrant Wednesday night. United States Marshals were at the Arbors on Chimney Rock Drive in Tyler around midnight apparently looking for Christopher Summerville, 26, Tyler, for a parole violation. A woman, Kara Adams-Hanley, 29, Tyler, reportedly answered the door when a shot was fired from inside striking Smith County Deputy Sheriff Josh Caulkins in the chest. A second round was fired from a suspect inside the apartment which struck the opposing apartment door. Caulkins was wearing a bullet-proof vest and was transported to East Texas Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. Members of the Task Force returned gunfire and were able to take into custody all occupants in the apartment including Summerville, Adams-Hanley and Jeffery Andrysiak, 30, Tyler.

Police say Summerville is hospitalized at East Texas Medical Center for an overdose of methamphetamine that he reportedly had injected into his body just prior to the arrest warrant being served. Summerville was taken into custody at the scene for the parole warrant and transported by law enforcement officers to the Tyler Police Department. While in custody it was determined that Summerville needed to be transported to East Texas Medical Center by EMS due to his medical condition. Summerville has been placed under guard by the Smith County Sheriff’s Office until he is released.

Initially, Andrysiak was held on possession of a controlled substance, and Adams-Hanley was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. Both are now additionally charged with manufacture or delivery of controlled substance, a first degree felony. Bond was set at $500,000 dollars each, and the two remain in custody at the Smith County Jail. The case remains under investigation.