KTBB News, Weather, Talk

AUSTIN – Area unemployment has fallen slightly. The May unemployment report shows a slight drop in unemployment in Tyler and Longview. And it’s better than the state number. The Texas Workforce Commission reports Tyler’s unemployment rate for May was 3.5%. It was 3.7% in April and 3.8% a year ago. The Longview unemployment rate last month was 4%. It was 4.1% in April and 5% last year. Texas’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.1% in May, unchanged from April’s figure.

LINDALE — TxDOT is holding a hearing Tuesday evening for the proposed improvements to Farm Road 16 from four miles west of Farm Road 849 (CR 481-E) east to U.S. Highway 69 in Lindale. Organizers say you will hear the latest information on the project, which, as proposed, would include the construction of a five-lane highway with two lanes in each direction and a continuous left-turn lane from US 69 to CR 436, and a three-lane highway, with one lane in each direction and a continuous left-turn lane from CR 436 to the western terminus, four miles west of FM 849 (CR 481-E). The hearing runs from 5:00 till 7:00 p.m., with the formal hearing starting at 6:00, all at the Lindale High School Cafetorium on E. Hubbard Street. For more information contact Kathi.White@txdot.gov or call 903-510-9267.

TYLER – A Tyler father is being accused of critically injuring his four month old daughter. In the Smith County Jail on a charge of injury to a child is Andres Guadalupe Ibarra, 19. His bond has been set at $500,000. He is also being held on an immigration detainer. He told sheriff’s department investigators that he hit the child in the ribs and abdomen with his fist. He hit her four or five times and then threw the child. He said after the Sunday night incident he went outside and smoked marijuana and then went to sleep. Ibarra said that when he woke up Monday morning, he, along with his girlfriend and child left the residence. When they noticed that the child was pale and not breathing normally, they took her to the hospital. She is currently in Children’s Hospital in Dallas where her condition is believed to be “extremely critical”.

LINDALE – Lindale police are asking the public to help in identifying a man wanted for credit card abuse. He is also said to be accused of credit card abuse in the Tyler area. If you know who this man is, you are asked to contact Detective Curtis Philpot by email at curtisp@lindaletx.gov or by calling 903-882-3313.

NATCHITOCHES PARISH La. – A Harrison County man has died in a one vehicle accident in Louisiana. It happened on Interstate Highway 49, north of Highway 147, around 10:30 on Saturday morning. The name of the 72 year old Marshall man has not been released. According to a state police report, the man was driving north when he lost control of his pickup and it left the road at hit a tree. The report said he was wearing his seat belt.

TYLER – A second person accused of injury to a child, in a Smith County case, has drawn a long prison sentence. Sentenced Monday to 25 years in prison was Taylor Nicole Skinner, 25, of Tyler. She was arrested last September in connection with the injuries received by her toddler a month earlier. The 15 month old child had been admitted to a Tyler hospital with severe injuries that were consistent with abuse. The child was later transferred to a Dallas hospital for surgery. Also charged in the case was Terral Deshon Carter, 27, of Tyler, the woman’s boyfriend. Back in March, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his part in the youngster’s injuries. Continue reading Prison Term for Injury to a Child

MARSHALL – A man wanted for aggravated assault has been arrested in Marshall. Officers had been looking for Oscar Lavelle Smith, 26, of Marshall. He had been named in a warrant for aggravated assault family violence stemming from a June 18th assault on Alexander Street. The victim suffered serious, but non-life threatening injuries. Last Saturday, Smith was arrested and booked into the Harrison County Jail. His bond has been set at $100,000.

MARSHALL — More details come out in the case of Kari Hunt Dunn, stabbed to death by her estranged husband in a Marshall hotel in 2013. Her then 9-year-old daughter Brianna tried to call 911 but couldn’t get a direct line. Dunn’s family won $41.5 million Friday in a lawsuit, to be paid by the former husband, who’s serving life, and the hotel chain, OM Lodging. According to family attorney Casey Carlisle, the hotel is 20% responsible, the husband the rest. Carlisle adds that it’s vindication for Brianna. He says when she asked hotel employees to help her, but they couldn’t speak English, the hotel should have come to her aid. Carlisle says the case will be appealed but the family expects to recover some of the money. The case led to Kari’s Law, mandating phones in businesses allow for direct 911 dialing.

TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in the district during the week of June 4th. 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.

District wide seal coat operations are ongoing in the Tyler District. Motorists should expect lane closures and delays during this work to seal and protect roadways from water, and provide a longer life cycle. Because the time to complete work on each roadway is estimated, these schedules are subject to change. Continue reading TxDOT Area Roadwork Update

LONGVIEW – A two vehicle accident in Longview his killed one person and injured three, one critically. It happened just before 6:00 Saturday evening near the intersection of North Spur 63 and Springhill Road. The accident occurred when a car failed to stop at a stop sign and hit a car. A passenger in the second vehicle, Andrew Moore, 76, was transported to Longview Regional Medical Center where he died. The drivers of both vehicles were transported to Christus Good Shepherd Medical Center. A passenger in the first vehicle was not wearing her seat belt. She was transported to Longview Regional with life-threatening injuries and later transported to a Dallas hospital for further treatment. The accident remains under investigation.

ORE CITY – Funeral services are Monday for restaurateur David Beard. According to Reeder-Davis Funeral Home in Hughes Springs, Beard, who was 82, died on Friday. Known for his Catfish King and Catfish Village restaurants, Beard opened his first restaurant in 1969 near Ore City. Services are at 2:00pm following a noon-1:30 visitation, all at Ore City Church of Christ. Burial will be at Coffeeville Cemetery.

LONGVIEW – One person has been killed and three injured in a five vehicle accident in Longview. Killed was Etzel Nayeli Enriques, 21, of Henderson. The injured were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Longview police say Enriques was driving at an unsafe speed when she hit one vehicle, and then a second vehicle. Her car was then hit on the driver side door by the third vehicle. The fifth vehicle in the accident then hit the second vehicle that was involved in the crash. The accident occurred just before 6:00 Friday evening on Loop 281 between Enterprise and Cotton streets. Police say initial cause of the accident is unsafe speed but the investigation is still on-going and the final report will not be concluded for several weeks.

SMITH COUNTY – The Smith County Sheriff’s Office Friday offered new information as it continues to investigate an apparent murder/suicide. Sgt. Darrell Coslin identifies the two victims as 31-year-old Joshua Alexander Woodruff and 32-year-old Texas Colby Manning. A witness says the two got into a physical altercation that later appeared to be settled. The three then reportedly bought ammunition and went to shoot a firearm. Detectives believe Manning later shot Woodruff, then turned the gun on himself. The men’s bodies were found on Highway 31 East around 9:00 Wednesday night.

MARSHALL — The jury in a civil trial over the death of Kari Hunt Dunn has awarded her relatives $41.5 million. Our news partner KETK and the Marshall News-Messenger report the family had been seeking nearly $60 million. Dunn was fatally stabbed in December 2013 by her husband, Brad Dunn, at Marshall’s Baymont Inn as their 9-year-old daughter tried to dial 911. She couldn’t because she didn’t know she had to dial “9” first. State and national legislation named after Kari Dunn has since been passed to address such problems. The Longview News-Journal reported the defendants were OM Lodging LLC, the hotel’s then-owner, and Brad Dunn, who is serving a life sentence for Kari’s death. The suit, filed in 2015, claimed OM Lodging failed to adequately respond to an emergency, but the company denied responsibility.

TYLER — An East Texas man is taking home a brand new GMC truck after donating to the Tyler Cattle Barons’ Gala, the big annual fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. On Thursday the keys were handed over to the winner, Royce Fletcher. He bought $2700 worth of raffle tickets for the truck that was donated by Hall Buick GMC. The dealership chose the blue color in support of the Dallas Cowboys. Blue was also the theme of this year’s gala. Fletcher told our news partner KETK he didn’t expect to win the truck — and was actually more interested in helping out the American Cancer Society.

GILMER — After earlier pleading guilty, 59-year-old Mark Randall Beasley of Diana has received four life sentences and an additional 20 years in an Upshur County child sex case. Beasley was charged with four counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and one count of indecency with a child. District Attorney Billy Byrd says the victim had been placed with Beasley and his wife following a history of sexual abuse at the hands of her mother and others, including some in Gregg County. Byrd says Beasley began abusing the child when she was just 8 years old and eventually molested her more than 20 times. The judge ordered the sentences to be served consecutively — meaning theoretically, Beasley would not be eligible for parole until 2148.

GREGG COUNTY — A Longview man suspected in a Southeast Texas homicide was found dead of an apparent suicide at his home Thursday evening. According to the Longview News-Journal, Longview police spokesman Sgt. Shane McCarter said officers, including members of Longview SWAT units, converged on a home on America Drive to serve an arrest warrant for Richard Dubreuil, 60. After getting no response, officers gained entry to find Dubreuil deceased. Authorities contacted local police earlier Thursday after learning that the suspect lived in Longview.

OVERTON — Police are investigating after a man in a wheelchair was struck and killed by a Union Pacific train in Overton Thursday afternoon. According to our news partner KETK, the man was hit by a cargo train at the intersection of West Henderson Street and Commerce Street. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. His identity has not been released.

LONGVIEW — A Longview man was being held Thursday in the Gregg County Jail in the kidnapping and shooting of an ex-girlfriend who was found dead Tuesday in a Fort Worth neighborhood. Jamie Devon Brown, 38, is facing a capital murder charge with bail set at $150,000. A passing motorist called 911 after spotting the woman’s body in a grassy area next to the eastbound lane of Bellaire Drive at the intersection of Ranch View Road early Tuesday morning. A police report identifies the victim as Kelly Lawson, 36. Lawson died from multiple gunshot wounds.

ANGELINA COUNTY — Lufkin Police arrested the resident of a home that burned down last week and charged him with causing the fire. According to our news partner KETK, Charles Edward Wachal was arrested June 18 on one felony count of arson in connection to a June 14 fire in Lufkin. He was booked into the Angelina County Jail and released Wednesday on a $100,000 bond. Wachal also said he had previously had a fire in his apartment in Houston in 2017 due to what he said was a faulty outlet and electrical wiring. Investigators determined the Lufkin fire was also electrical in nature. Wachal had been treated several times for minor chemical burns over the past 6 or 7 months. Continue reading Lufkin Man Charged with Arson

SMITH COUNTY – The Smith County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an apparent murder/suicide after two men’s bodies were found on Highway 31 East around 9:00 Wednesday night. Sgt. Darrell Coslin says one victim had suffered multiple gunshot wounds, with the other sustaining a single gunshot wound to the head. Autopsies have been ordered. Coslin says the investigation is active and ongoing.

JACKSONVILLE — Jacksonville police are investigating after two convenience stores were robbed at gunpoint this past Saturday, apparently by the same people. Clerks described the thieves as three black males with their faces partially covered. An undisclosed amount of cash was taken. Police say they’re not releasing the locations of the stores due to the ongoing investigation. If you have any leads, you’re asked to call Crime Stoppers at (903) 586-7867 or Detective Sinclair at (903) 586-1380. You may remain anonymous.

LONGVIEW — An arrest warrant details the case of an East Texas woman who police say induced a child under 14 to engage in sexual conduct. According to our news partner KETK, Carrie Songer (Sue) Kelly of Lone Oak was arrested June 12. A police officer from Nebraska contacted Longview police about the case last December in reference to a possible sex trafficking incident. Continued investigation showed Kelly had been evicted from a home in White Oak. The case eventually led to Kelly meeting with an undercover officer later in December. By January, Kelly had been located at the White Oak Independent School District. Following further investigation, Kelly was arrested and booked into the Gregg County Jail on $200,000 bond.

TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler Wednesday announced its recipients of the 2018 UT System Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award. Kerrie Anne Ambort-Clark, senior lecturer in management, and Dr. Sean Butler, associate professor of chemistry, will each receive $25,000. UT Tyler officials say that’s in recognition of their superior undergraduate instruction and commitment to student success through teaching. They will be recognized Thursday, Aug. 9 in Austin.

MARSHALL — Marshall police are asking for the public’s help in locating a fugitive. Oscar Lavelle Smith Jr., 26, of Marshall, is wanted on an aggravated assault warrant from an incident June, 18. When officers arrived on the scene they found a victim suffering serious but non -life threatening injuries. The victim was transported to Good Shepherd Medical Center in Marshall for treatment. Smith is described as a black male, about 5’7” and weighs around 155 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes. Contact the Marshall Police Department at 903-935-4575 or Marshall/Harrison County Crime Stoppers at 903-935-9969 with any information.

NACOGDOCHES — Members of the Nacogdoches Fire Department have returned home after fighting a massive wildfire in West Texas. According to our news partner KETK, they helped battle the nearly 20,000-acre Scenic Loop Complex Fire in Jeff Davis County. Nacogdoches firefighters put their lives on the line hundreds of miles from home fighting the immense wildfire sparked by a lightning strike on June 5. “Fort Davis requested a strike team and we were just one of the strike teams from the east branch that deployed,” said Chuck French, Nacogdoches Fire Department Battalion Chief. Other departments from the eastern branch represented in Jeff Davis County were Texarkana, Mount Pleasant, Lufkin and Beaumont. Nacogdoches fire served as the “mop-up” crew. Continue reading Nacogdoches Firefighters Return Home from West Texas Wildfire

NACOGDOCHES — A Nacogdoches man who had just been added to the Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list has been arrested. Jack Earl Sterns, Jr. was arrested Wednesday afternoon at a residence on Coleman Street in Nacogdoches. According to our news partner KETK, Sterns was affiliated with the Crips gang and was wanted for parole violation, aggravated robbery and evading arrest. Sterns had been wanted since December 2017. His criminal history includes aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, engaging in organized criminal activity, assault, unlawful carrying of a weapon, deadly conduct, evading arrest/detention and drug possession. The arrest was made after a tip was received by Nacogdoches Crime Stoppers.

WASHINGTON — Republican U.S. Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz of Texas are giving the thumbs-up after President Trump announced his intention to nominate John Garrison as U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Texas in Tyler. Cornyn pointed to what he termed Garrison’s “28 distinguished years with the U.S. Marshals Service in the Eastern District.” Cornyn says he looks forward to supporting Garrison’s swift confirmation in the Senate. Cruz adds that “Garrison has served the Eastern District of Texas with distinction and professionalism for 28 years” and urges his swift confirmation. Garrison is a retired Judicial Security Inspector for the U.S. Marshals Service Eastern District.

TYLER — The Grand Opening is set Thursday for the third location of Hangers of Hope. The event kicks off at 10:00 a.m. on Troup Highway in Tyler, next to Super 1. Hangers of Hope is a thrift store and donation center benefiting Bethesda Health Clinic. All proceeds fund the mission of providing medical and dental care to the working un-insured or under-insured of East Texas. You can go to http://hangersofhope.com for more information.