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TYLER – In an appearance in Tyler federal court, a Dallas man was sentenced to prison for drug violations. Alejandro Cabrera pleaded guilty on January 7, 2010 to being involved in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He was sentenced yesterday to 189 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Leonard E. Davis.

According to information presented in court, on July 23, 2009, Cabrera was arrested in Smith County with around one pound of methamphetamine and a pistol in his possession. An investigation revealed that since 2007, Cabrera was involved in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Dallas County, which was then transported through East Texas for redistribution.

TYLER — A Mexican national illegally living in Whitehouse has been sentenced in Tyler Federal Court to prison for drug violations. Jose Zavala pleaded guilty on March 3, 2010 to being involved in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine and. He was sentenced yesterday to 72 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Leonard E. Davis. Zavala was also ordered to submit to the forfeiture of $5,000 and will be deported upon completion of his federal prison sentence.

According to information presented in court, from an unknown date until January 20, 2010, Zavala conspired with others to distribute more than 50 grams of actual methamphetamine in the Smith County area. Zavala also admitted to being in possession of a firearm in relation to the drug trafficking violations. Zavala was indicted by a federal grand jury in March of last year.

LONGVIEW – A 19-year-old Kilgore man was killed when his vehicle crashed into a business Sunday morning. According to Department of Public Safety officials, Mason Rawls was traveling southbound on FM 2011, five miles south of Longview when his 2004 Dodge pickup left the roadway and ran into Amanda’s Jewelry store in the 10,000 block of FM 2011. The teen wasn’t found until following morning, but officials estimated his time of death around 2:40 a.m. Elderville-Lakeport Volunteer Fire Department called Longview Fire Department’s special operations team to assist in stabilizing and securing the store, which was “severely damaged,” Fire Chief J.P. Steelman said. DPS officials said Rawls, a Kilgore College student, was not wearing a seatbelt when the crash occurred.

NACOGDOCHES – Nacogdoches police have identified the body of a man found in a duplex parking area. He is Jeffrey Dale Honea, 47, of Nacogdoches. His body was found just before 6:45 Saturday evening when a person in the area saw the body and called 9-1-1. Nacogdoches authorities say there were no signs of foul play. An autopsy has been ordered.

Honea was to appear in state district court Wednesday on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and impersonating a public servant. The charges are said to have stemmed from a road rage incident last May in which he is accused of attacking someone with a baseball bat.

HENDERSON — A Smith County man is free on bond after being charged with several complaints in Rusk County. Arrested was Mark Richard Green, 30, of Flint. He has been charged with retaliation on a public servant, public intoxication and criminal mischief. His bonds totaled $10,670. His arrest followed a disturbance at a Henderson convenience store.

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.