KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — The Smith County Chapter of the American Red Cross is hosting a reception this afternoon for Dave Sanderson. He was the last person to leave the US Airways plane that was forced into frozen waters in the emergency landing that was to become known worldwide as the “Miracle on the Hudson.” Red Cross officials say Sanderson was largely responsible for many others making it out safely.

Today, Sanderson is a highly sought-after motivational speaker, with over 150 speaking engagements in the U.S. and Canada, and has been invited to speak in Europe. He is a contributing author to the book, “Brace for Impact,” a compilation of survivor stories of the “Miracle on the Hudson.” Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing at the reception. The reception will be held at the Smith County Chapter office located at 320 East Rieck Road in Tyler from 3:30 p.m. until 4:15 p.m.

Red Cross officials say Sanderson is a firm supporter of the American Red Cross, having made it home from the crash with the sweatshirt and pants given to him by the local Red Cross. Smith County Red Cross chapter staffers invite you to join them for punch and cookies and a chance to meet Sanderson. For further information regarding this or any other Smith County Chapter events or programs, you can contact Linda Edwards at 903-581-7981.

TYLER — A memorial to the 227 children who died of abuse and neglect in Texas in 2010 will be displayed from 9:00 to 11:30 this morning at Tyler’s Broadway Square Mall as part of National Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month in April. The Memorial to Abused and Neglected Children was created by Texas CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates). According to CASA spokespeople, its purpose is to bring awareness about the epidemic of child abuse and neglect and children who die because they are not in safe, loving homes. The memorial is on a four-day, eight-stop tour through East Texas. The stop in Tyler is sponsored by CASA for Kids of East Texas.

LUFKIN (AP) – Two more men have been charged over the alleged rape of a 16-year-old East Texas girl on a mattress in a yard during a party. Angelina County Sheriff’s Department records show three suspects, including a father and son, were jailed Tuesday, while a fourth man was freed on $100,000 bail. All are charged with aggravated sexual assault over the March 5 incident. Adrian Moreland of Lufkin was released Monday. Jail records did not list an attorney for the 17-year-old defendant. Moreland and Timothy Joseph Headley, 21, of Lufkin were arrested Friday. Headley’s bond is $100,000, with no attorney listed for him. Deputies earlier arrested Clinton Johnson Sr., 53, and Clinton “Bubba” Johnson Jr., 17, both of Hudson. The party was at the son’s home. The underage girl allegedly drank alcohol.

TYLER — Pilgrim’s Pride and Feather Crest Farms team up to donate more than 118,000 eggs to the East Texas Food Bank. It’s the fourth year in a row United Egg Producers and Feeding America’s network of food banks have joined hands. Egg farmers nationwide are donating nearly 12 million eggs; they’ve donated more than 50 million across the country since 2008. According to East Texas Food Bank staff, “Fresh eggs are always a prized item for food banks due to their dense nutritional and high protein content, but they are also one of the hardest categories for food banks to acquire. The partnership here in Texas and throughout the nation will help feed more than 50 million men, women, and children in America who are at risk of hunger, up significantly since the beginning of the recession in December 2007.”

TYLER — The East Texas teen accused of shooting and killing his sister Amanda Anderson back in September at their parents’ Chapel Hill house, has had another hearing. Monday, Nate Anderson was back in court at the Smith County Juvenile Attention Center for a routine hearing, where lawyers told Judge Floyd Getz Anderson has been a model detainee. Judge Getz ordered Anderson to remain in custody and set another routine hearing for April 25th. The hearing that will determine whether Anderson will be tried as an adult is pushed back to May 9th.

TYLER – Tyler police are looking for a Hispanic male in the attempted robbery of the Allstate Insurance offices at 4719 Old Bullard Road. It happened around 5:15 Monday afternoon. Employees told officers the man entered the business and displayed a handgun, demanding money. After being told that there was no money on the premises, the suspect then fled the scene on foot.

The suspect was described as a clean shaven Hispanic Male, 5’10” tall, 230 – 240 lbs., wearing a backward facing baseball cap with red brim, Ray Ban style sunglasses, gray sweat shirt and dark gray basketball shorts. He was armed with a silver handgun with white grips. The suspect spoke fluent English with no accent.

MOUNT PLEASANT – A traffic violation in Titus county has resulted in a big drug seizure and one suspect in custody. A tractor/trailer rig was stopped Sunday afternoon on Interstate Highway 30 near the 171 mile marker. When the driver consented to the search of the rig, state troopers found 184 bundles of marijuana weighing over 4,600 pounds and valued at $1.5 million. It was hidden among the produce in the trailer. Arrested was the driver, Giovanni Borrero, 30, of Longwood, Florida.

LONGVIEW – A Longview woman has died from injuries received in a car wreck just over a week ago. Saturday, Silvia Rodriguez-Munoz, 47, of Longview, died from injuries received in the accident on April 3rd. It occurred in the 2900 Block of Fourth Street. She was a passenger in a car driven by driven by Miguel Rodriguez-Munoz of Longview. He was injured in the crash.

Investigators say their car was hit by a SUV that crossed over into their oncoming lane of traffic. It was driven by Jackquine Bell, 46, of Longview. She was also injured in the crash. Bell has been charged with driving wrong side of the roadway- not passing, no insurance and no driver’s license. An intoxication manslaughter charge may also be filed pending the results of blood tests.

LONGVIEW – Two persons were killed and one injured in an early Monday morning crash in Longview. The one vehicle accident happened around 12:05am in the 300 block of Pine Tree Road. Pronounced dead at the scene were Alonso Rivera, 20 and Jose Cervantes, 22, both of Longview. A third person in the vehicle was ejected. He was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. The accident remains under investigation.

JACKSONVILLE — Law officers have arrested a suspect on robbery and weapon charges, and more charges could be on the way. Late Sunday afternoon, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office received a call about the possible location of Shane Kirkland, 20, of Arp. The caller advised that Kirkland was seen getting into a gold colored van at a gas station in New Summerfield. The caller further advised that the van began traveling west on Highway 79 toward Jacksonville. According to authorities, Texas DPS Troopers, with assistance from the New Summerfield PD, located the van on Highway 79 just inside Jacksonville about 15 minutes later.

Authorities say that Kirkland was taken into custody without incident but that he was found to have a stolen 9 mm pistol tucked inside his waistband when he was placed into custody. While questioning the driver, it was discovered that he did not know Kirkland, and had just been approached by Kirkland seeking a ride. The driver of the van was released at that time. The 9 mm pistol was listed as stolen through the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office. Kirkland was arraigned Monday on charges of felon in possession of firearm and aggravated robbery. The bonds were set at $125,000 and $1,000,000 respectively.

He had been wanted for an aggravated robbery in Cherokee County. He is accused of pulling a knife in the Hot Spot convenience store and demanding money, cigarettes, and K-2. The incident happened Tuesday afternoon April 5th. A contingent of law officers, aided by dogs, was unable to locate Kirkland that afternoon.

Kirkland also has a no-bond probation revocation warrant for an aggravated robbery charge out of Smith County, where he was arrested July 8, 2009. Officials say other charges are still possible in Cherokee County and Rusk County, all stemming from incidents which occurred while Kirkland was allegedly on the run.

TYLER — Tyler Police say they need your help with any information related to the homicide that occurred at 4516 Edinburgh on February 24. Investigators determined that 28-year-old Harold Miller and an unknown suspect had a violent struggle before Miller was killed. Investigators believe that the suspect suffered a serious cut to his hands or arms during the incident.

Tyler Fire, Police, and EMS responded to a house fire at 4516 Edinburgh around 11:17 a.m. on February 24, 2011. The fire was observed by a neighbor who was passing by the residence who observed the smoke and flames. Tyler firefighters located a deceased male inside the residence while attending to the fire. Tyler Police Investigators responded to the scene due to what was termed the suspicious nature of the body, later determined to be Miller’s.

Anyone with information about the suspect is urged to contact the Tyler Police Department, at 903-531-1000, or Crimestoppers, at 903-597-CUFF (903-597-2833). Crimestoppers will pay up to $1,000 for information that leads to arrest and charges filed against the suspect or suspects in this or any felony case.

NACOGDOCHES — Nacogdoches Police search for an armed gang they believe is responsible for a Saturday hold-up. Officers answered the call for help at the Entertainment Shack on Shawnee just after 3:00 Saturday morning. They say several armed men rushed in and demanded money while pointing a gun at employees. One of the man fired shots toward the Shack as he ran away.

HUNTINGTON — A woman was killed and two people were seriously injured in a wreck in front of the Dairy Queen in Huntington a little after 8:00 Monday morning. Christine Wise-Allen, 50, of York, Pennsylvania, died on impact in the wreck, according to Huntington Police Chief Bobby Epperly. The woman was a passenger in a car driven by her friend, Robin Chambers, 49, of Zavalla, according to Epperly.

Chambers was taken to Memorial Medical Center-Lufkin, although she was expected to be transported to another facility once she was stabilized, Epperly said. Billy Joe Walters, 56, of Huntington, was the driver of a southbound Chevrolet Silverado 1500 that slid into the turn lane of U.S. 69 south and collided nearly head-on with the northbound car.

TYLER — A second person has died following a Sunday night crash in Tyler. The wreck happened around 8:00 Sunday night at the intersection of West Erwin and Lyons Streets. Geneva Davis Townsend, 89, Tyler, was pronounced dead at the scene. The passenger in her vehicle, Jane Onys Bohanon, 81, of Tyler, died shortly after 2:45 Monday morning in East Texas Medical Center from injuries she sustained in the crash.

Accident Investigators determined Joe Preston Rogers, 61, Tyler, was traveling west on Erwin when he struck Townsend’s vehicle head on in the intersection of Erwin and Lyons. Rogers was treated at East Texas Medical Center and later transported to the Smith County Jail. He has been charged with intoxication manslaughter.

McCOMB, Miss. (AP) – Authorities say a thoracic surgeon with ties to Mississippi and Texas was killed in a weekend plane crash along with his wife and her sister. Pike County, Miss., Coroner Percy Pittman said the crash killed 52-year-old Dr. Taylor Pickett; his wife, 22-year-old Laura Pickett of Summit, Miss.; and her sister, 29-year-old Jacquelyn Ham of Meadville, Miss. The Cessna 310R, a dual-engine propeller craft, crashed Sunday about 4:30 a.m. into trees near the McComb-Pike County Airport on its way from New Orleans to McComb, Miss. Officials say Dr. Pickett was a cardiologist and thoracic, or chest, surgeon who worked for McComb’s Mississippi Cardiovascular Institute before going to work in Lufkin, Texas. McComb Police Chief Greg Martin said the pilot spent time in both Summit, Miss., and Texas.