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SMITH COUNTY — A two vehicle wreck on Highway 31 leaves one person dead and three others injured. It happened just after 4:00 Saturday afternoon on SH-31 about nine miles west of Kilgore. The DPS report indicated that a 2006 Ford Expedition was traveling eastbound on 31 when it crossed into oncoming traffic and hit a 2015 GMC Traverse head-on. The driver of the Expedition, identified as Keith Nelson, 32, Longview, was listed in serious condition. The driver of the Traverse, Traci Tippitt, 50, Kilgore, was taken to ETMC-Tyler in stable condition. A passenger in the Traverse, Mark Tippitt, 56, Kilgore was pronounced dead at the hospital. Another passenger in the Traverse, Jack Ward, 78, Henderson, was transported to ETMC-Tyler in critical condition. The investigation is ongoing.

UPSHUR COUNTY — A Pittsburg man has died in a one vehicle accident early Sunday morning . According to the Department of Public Safety, around 12:25 Robert Benton Mumma was traveling north on FM-2454, 7 miles south of Gilmer, when the vehicle drifted off the roadway. Officials said the 61-year-old attempted to get back onto the roadway and over-corrected, sending the vehicle into a side-skid. The vehicle then crossed over the road and struck a tree. Mumma was pronounced dead at the scene.

CHEROKEE COUNTY — One man was killed, two injured in a wreck Saturday night just east of Jacksonville. According to the Department of Public Safety, a truck, driven by Kenneth Lee Lambert, 41, was headed east on FM 22 when he attempted to pass another vehicle. The DPS report said Lambert lost control of the truck on the wet roadway and drove through a bar ditch and into a tree. Lambert was pronounced dead at the scene. Two passengers, Lincoln Austin Kirby, 25, and Corey Wayne Benedict, 24, both of Jacksonville, were listed in stable condition.

LUFKIN — The Lufkin Police Department released the names of those involved in a fatality Friday night. Officials said Elaine Stanley, Lufkin, was killed after she was hit by an unlicensed driver. Lufkin Police said Stanley was crossing the street on East Denman Avenue when she stepped in front of a Ford Expedition. The driver of the vehicle, Erick Leyva, 15, reportedly had difficulty seeing the woman due to rainy conditions. Leyva immediately turned his vehicle around and parked in the middle of the road in an attempt to shield Stanley from further injury. According to witnesses, Leyva was traveling at a normal speed when the accident occurred. He was ticketed for no driver’s license. The accident remains under investigation.

TYLER – A pilot had to make a belly landing at Tyler Pounds Regional Airport after his landing grear failed to fully extend. The City of Tyler told KETK the pilot was flying a King Air private plane. After flying around to burn off fuel, he successfully landed Friday afternoon as emergency crews looked on. No injuries were reported.

EAST TEXAS – The weather is causing problems for holiday events planned in East Texas this weekend. Heavy rain is predected Saturday through Monday. KETK is reporting over 4 inches of rain will be seen in some areas. Because of the weather, holiday events are either being cancelled or rescheduled. Continue reading Weather Putting a Crimp in Some Holiday Events

GLADEWATER – A report of a suspicious person resulted in the arrest of a Gladewater man. Early Thursday evening, Gladewater police had received a report of a man parking at a vacant house and walking down the street. They found Anthony Ross Turner, 52, on Maple Avenue. As they started to pat him down, Turner is said to have started to pull something out of his coat pocket. As the officers physically restrained him, a gun dropped to the ground. They then used a taser on him, in case he had another weapon or tried to reach for the dropped gun. A check showed Turner to be a registered sex offender and a convicted felon. He has now been charged with resisting arrest, search or seizure and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

PALESTINE – There is a change in the organizational structure for the city of Palestine. It is replacing the city’s Parks and Recreation Department. The new department that will be assuming its duties is called Community Services Department. Longtime Palestine Police Officer Patsy Smith, who is currently a Code Enforcement Officer, will become a reserve officer in order to lead Community Services. New City Manager Mike Alexander said the new department will encompass many of the responsibilities of the former Parks and Recreation department. It will also house the Code Enforcement division. The city manager informed the staff this week of the changes.

DALLAS (AP) — Prosecutors say they have an agreement with Johnny Manziel to dismiss a domestic violence charge against the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback. The Dallas County District Attorney’s Office said Friday that Manziel will have to meet certain conditions for a year before the misdemeanor charge will be dismissed. The former Cleveland Browns player was accused of hitting and threatening former girlfriend Colleen Crowley during a night out in January. Continue reading Prosecutors: Dismissal Deal Done in Manziel’s Domestic Case

LONGVIEW – A Longview man is facing a variety of charges, including assaulting a woman twice. Gregg County authorities arrested Damarcus Lakendrick Owens, 24, in Nacogdoches County on Wednesday. The arrest stems from an incident on Centenary Drive on October 8th. Besides assaulting one woman, he is accused of injuring two other women who were trying to fight him off. He’s facing numerous charges, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, burglary of a habitation, and evading arrest. His bonds total $363,000.

LONGVIEW – The Gregg County Grand Jury has indicted a Longview man in a murder in late August. According to the Longview News Journal, GeKainnon Ikemoin-Kenyon Harris, 20, was indicted in the August 30th death of Alexis Bell, 26. She was found shot to death in an apartment on Lake Lamond Drive. Originally, Harris was arrested at the scene on two unrelated assault family violence warrants. He was later charged with manslaughter in Bell’s death. He remains in the Gregg County Jail under bonds totaling $270,000

DALLAS (AP/STAFF) — The founders of and investors in a physician-owned North Dallas hospital, including a Tyler doctor, have been indicted on charges relating to what prosecutors call a massive bribery and kickback conspiracy. The indictment unsealed Thursday in Dallas accuses 21 defendants affiliated with the now-bankrupt Forest Park Medical Center. Included is Dr. Gerald Peter Foox of Tyler. They are accused of scheming to pay and receive bribes and kickbacks totaling about $50 million for patient referrals with high-reimbursement private medical insurance. A U.S. attorney’s statement says such inducements resulted in hospital billings to elite insurance plans of “well over” $500 million from 2009 to 2013. In return, it received $200 million in claim payments. Continue reading Tyler Doctor Indicted in Bribery Conspiracy

TYLER — Tyler Police have arrested a Dallas man for aggravated robbery. Officers responded to Rotolos Pizza, 8970 south Broadway, just before midnight Thursday. As the officers arrived, they noticed the described suspect leaving the scene in a red Chevrolet HHR. A chase followed ending when the suspect wrecked on Broadway at Loop 49. The suspect then attempted run and was apprehended after a brief foot pursuit. Freddy Criss, 54, Dallas was booked into the Smith County Jail, charged with four counts of aggravated robbery, one count of aggravated assault and evading arrest. The stolen property was recovered. Officials said several victims at Rotolos sustained minor injuries during the robbery. Criss has a criminal history, including bank robbery. In July of 2009, Criss pleaded guilty to the April 30th, 2009, robbery of the First National Bank of Emory.

LONGVIEW – Longview police are seeking the public’s help is finding a missing teenager. He is Jackson Brady Denton, 16. They say he may be a runaway and he may be in danger. He is about six feet tall and weighs around 150 pounds. When last see, he was wearing black wind pants with a gray stripe, a blue Old Navy jacket and Nike shoes. If you know where he may be found, you are asked to contact Longview Police at 903-237-1170.

TYLER – A large number of angels remain on the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree in Tyler. They started out with around 3,000 angels on the tree. Over 1,000 still need to be adopted. The drive will run through the end of next week. Their goal is to have 100% of the angels adopted this year. You are invited to drop by the tree in the Broadway Square Mall and help make it a very merry Christmas for children and seniors in the community.

TYLER – A Tyler robbery suspect has been arrested in Louisiana. The U.S. Marshal Service arrested Johnnie Michael Cole Jr., 17. He was arrested in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, on an outstanding warrant for a aggravated robbery. He is said to be one of three suspects who robbed a cab driver Sunday morning, October 2nd, at the intersection of East Front Street and South Beckham. The Tyler Cab driver told officers he was robbed at gun point by three black male suspects. One got into the cab and the others approached the driver and forced him out of the cab at gunpoint. After getting the driver’s wallet and cash, they fled on foot. No injuries were reported.

MT. SELMAN – A Cherokee County man has been arrested on a murder charge. Rayburn Hobbs, 82, has been charged with the death of Jimmie Gale Zinn, 69. His body was found Wednesday afternoon in a mobile home on County Road 3706. Hobbs owns the home. Zinn’s body was sent to East Texas Forensics in Tyler for an autopsy. It appears he had been shot to death. Hobbs’ bond was set Thursday at $1 million.

MARSHALL – A man has been extradited from Europe back to Harrison County to stand trial in a fatal accident. Paul Box, 56, was brought from London to Houston where he was picked up by Harrison County officers. When he fled the country, Box had been indicted in the 2010 death of Thomas Jackson Frost, 39, of Jefferson. He was killed when their vehicles collided on Farm Road 134 near Karnack. Box, who was said to have been on drugs and alcohol at the time of the wreck, has been charged with intoxication manslaughter.

LONGVIEW – Some layoffs have been reported at the Good Shepherd Health System. Fifty employees have been laid off at the health system’s facilities in Longview and Marshall. President and CEO Steve Altmiller said the cuts hit clinical and non-clinical employees. He provided no other details. The Longview News Journal quotes Altmiller as saying, “Like many other health care systems across the country, Good Shepherd Health System has been facing challenging times, resulting in lower overall patient census and financial losses.” The announcement comes a couple of weeks after Good Shepherd announced it was joining the Christus Healthcare system.

TYLER – Two John Tyler High School students have advanced to the UIL State Congress competition in Austin next month. Tacorian Tilley claimed first place and Triston Ferguson took second place in the regional meet held last month at John Tyler. Also, Jose Romero finished in fourth place and was awarded TOP Presiding Officer at the regional meet. The competition, modeling the legislative process of the United States Congress, uses a mock legislative assembly that requires students to draft and submit legislation and to research a docket of bills and resolutions dealing with real-world social and political policies prior to the contest to prepare their speeches. Then, at the tournament, they address the merits and disadvantages of each piece of legislation, and vote to pass or defeat the measures they have examined.

TYLER – A senior at The University of Texas at Tyler has received a prestigious scholarship. Senior Jeranda Dennis of Kilgore has been named a 2016 Gilman International Scholar. She is one of more than 850 American undergraduate students from 359 colleges and universities across the U.S. selected to receive the prestigious scholarship. An English major minoring in international studies, Dennis will now be able to spend the semester at Kwansei Gakuin University in Japan.

TYLER – A former Tyler man, who now lives in Comal County, posted bond Thursday at the Smith County Jail in the death of a Tyler woman. James Arthur Fulton, 41, was released from jail after posting a $15,000 bond. He is charged with criminal negligent homicide in the death of Hailey Beasely,21, back in May. Fulton’s pickup was headed in the wrong direction when it collided with Beasley’s car on West Grande Boulevard. Fulton admitted having two beers at a restaurant prior to the accident. But investigators say he was not drunk and passed several field sobriety tests at the scene.

MARSHALL – The Marshall Police Department has added a special kind vehicle to its fleet. The mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle will now be called a Marshall rescue and protection vehicle. It was acquired, without cost, through the Law Enforcement Support Office. It’s a fully armored all-terrain vehicle that will be used as a rescue vehicle during natural disasters. If the streets are flooded, this vehicle will allow officers to rescue anyone that has been trapped by the high water. The rescue vehicle can also be utilized in the event of an active shooter situation or during SWAT situations. Police chief Eddie Campa says with the vehicle, they will be able to reach places they have not been able to in the past.

GREGG COUNTY — A Longview woman was arrested Tuesday after the Texas Department of Public Safety said she was drunk and driving on the wrong side of the road. She reportedly had a 6-week-old infant improperly restrained in the back seat of her car when she almost collided with two cars. According to KETK, Gillian Ann Dooley, 32, was charged with driving while intoxicated third offense or more, abandoning or endangering a child criminal negligence, possession of a controlled substance in penalty group one measuring between four and 200 grams and possession of marijuana measuring less than two ounces. She was released Wednesday on surety bonds totaling $26,000. Continue reading Longview Woman Arrested for DWI with Infant in Vehicle

EAST TEXAS — It’s Christmas parade time in East Texas, and Tyler’s and Longview’s are both set for Thursday. The Rotary Clubs of Tyler Christmas Parade will start at 6:00pm in downtown Tyler. The parade will be followed by the 31st Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at the T.B. Butler Fountain Plaza. Lighting the tree will be this year’s Children’s Miracle Network Miracle Child, 14-year-old Destiny Miriah Williams. Continue reading Tyler, Longview Hold Christmas Parades

TYLER — Small business owner and community leader Bob Westbrook Wednesday announced his intention to seek the Tyler City Council District 5 seat in the May 2017 election. Current District 5 City Council Member Mark Whatley cannot run again due to term limits. According to a news release, Westbrook was a 19-year CiCi’s Pizza franchisee. He has held several leadership roles for local and statewide organizations including: Chairman, Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce; Executive Board of Directors, Tyler Economic Development Corporation; President, Tyler Sunrise Rotary Club; Chairman, East Texas Food Bank; Chairman, Northeast Texas Public Health District; Chairman, Texas Restaurant Association; and President, East Texas Chapter Texas Restaurant Association. Continue reading Bob Westbrook Announces Intention to Seek City Council District 5 Seat

AUSTIN — The Texas Department of Criminal Justice and the Office of the Inspector General – TDCJ are asking for the public’s help locating a parole violator. According to a news release, Joe Allums II was released from prison after serving time for aggravated kidnapping and attempted murder with a deadly weapon. Officials say the aggravated kidnapping offense took place in 1979 and the attempted murder with a deadly weapon offense took place in 1980, both in Smith County. Allums was tried and convicted on both offenses in April 1980 in Smith County. According to authorities, soon after his release, Allums violated his supervision by not reporting to his parole officer. Continue reading Officials Seek Parole Violator in Decades-Old Smith County Cases

CARTHAGE — Preparations for the appeal of Bernie Tiede’s 99-year sentence continued Monday with the arrival of a 23 volume transcript of his April trial. Tiede was re-tried in April for the murder of 81-year-old Marjorie Nugent of Carthage in 1996. KETK reports Tiede’s defense team was given until December 28 to file arguments to appeal his new sentence. According to his attorney, the defense requested additional time for the appeal but was given a third of what it asked for. No date has been set for this new hearing.

SMITH COUNTY — The driver in a two-vehicle fatal crash in south Tyler was indicted earlier this month on one count of criminal negligent homicide. According to Smith County judicial records, a Grand Jury indicted James Fulton on November 10 on the charge of criminal negligent homicide. His conditions of bond were set Tuesday, but those are not known at this time. Back on May 14, 2016, Hailey Beasely, 21, of Tyler, was killed when a pickup headed in the wrong direction hit her car head-on in the eastbound lanes of the 1400 block of W. Grande Boulevard. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Tyler Police later said they did not believe Fulton was under the influence of alcohol during the wrong-way crash and blood was not drawn from him. Fulton was not injured in the accident and he was not charged at the scene with any crime.