KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — TxDOT will be busy with another round of construction and maintenance work in the Tyler District this week. In Smith County, Tyler Maintenance will have a base crew on FM 15. Expect lane closures with flaggers controlling traffic. A second crew will be performing ditch work in various locations throughout the county. In Gregg County, Longview Maintenance will be on FM 2751 for leveling work. FM 2751 will be closed to traffic. Crews are also scheduled to finish base repairs on FM 449 and begin edge repair work. Click here for a complete rundown of roadwork around the district.

DALLAS (ESPN/Staff) – A day after Dallas Cowboys cornerback Kelvin Joseph met with Dallas police, two arrests have been made in the death of former East Texas high school athlete Cameron Ray on March 18. On Saturday, police announced the arrests of Aries Jones, 28, and Tivione English, 21, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in connection with the homicide. Joseph’s attorney, Barry Sorrels, said Friday that Joseph was a passenger in a vehicle from which gunshots were fired that killed a man last month, but he was not the shooter. Continue reading Two arrested in homicide involving Dallas Cowboys CB Kelvin Joseph

TYLER — NET Health’s George Roberts remains guardedly upbeat as COVID numbers remain low in his agency’s survey area. He says officials continue to monitor the BA.2 variant, telling us it now makes up 86 per cent of national cases and over 80 per cent of cases in Texas. And that’s not all. Roberts adds that there are several other variants that were discussed Thursday in a meeting in Austin. He says they don’t appear to be affecting Texas just yet but that officials will be watching them in days to come. And Roberts continues to call vaccinations the best way to fight the virus. For more information on COVID-19 in East Texas, click here.

TYLER – A man has been arrested after authorities say he led a pursuit from Lindale into Tyler on Friday morning. According to our news partner KETK, 63-year-old David Fitch was arrested around 9:08 a.m. outside a store in Tyler off Highway 64 West. Lindale officers did a traffic stop on Fitch’s vehicle at around 8:50 a.m. They say he drove away a moment later and led police on a chase southbound on Highway 69. DPS assisted and was able to spike the vehicle and disable at least one of the tires. The pursuit continued onto Loop 323 in Tyler, down to Highway 64. Officer Andy Erbaugh with Tyler Police said the department helped block intersections while the chase went on to help keep the public safe. Fitch reportedly continued to a strip center on Highway 64 West, near the Loop 323 intersection, where Tyler police found him and arrested him. Continue reading Man arrested after Lindale-to-Tyler chase

TYLER — The City of Tyler is explaining why residents didn’t hear an outdoor siren when a tornado warning was issued in the area Tuesday night. The outdoor warning system seemingly failed to sound during 100 mph straight line winds that tore through Tyler and wreaked havoc on the city’s historic Azalea District. Officials say there was a “configuration problem” that caused the sirens to not sound. According to our news partner KETK, the warning system contains two layers of audio: the siren itself and the voiceover advising people to seek shelter. Authorities said when city staff went to activate the alarm, only the voiceover played. Authorities reportedly tried setting off the alarm a second time with no success. Continue reading Officials say ‘configuration issue’ caused siren failure

TYLER – Jury selection for a Tyler woman charged with capital murder in her daughter’s death has been set for August. According to our news partner KETK, Courtnie Williams was arrested along with the victim’s father, Manuel Williams, in 2020 after officers were called to the home and found injuries that were consistent with “a history of abuse.” An arrest warrant at the time alleged that bruises were found all over the child’s body and were in different stages of healing. Courtnie Williams will have until July 7 to decide whether to accept a plea deal if one is offered. If not, jury selection is set to begin on Aug. 1. Manuel Williams pleaded guilty in February to a charge of injury to a child and was sentenced to 50 years in prison.

TYLER – The National Weather Service confirmed Thursday that it was 100 mph straight line winds that swept through Tyler Tuesday night, causing significant damage to the city’s historic Azalea District. According to our news partner KETK, the winds caused considerable damage, with many trees being uprooted or falling into homes. Charlie Woodrum, National Weather Service Warning Coordination Meteorologist, said there was initially a tornado warning because they had some initial indication of rotation in the air. “Based off what we saw on the radar, there was an area of rotation on the front edge of the line, which prompted the tornado warning,” Woodrum said. Continue reading Storm aftermath continues; NWS offers assessment

TYLER – With Title 42 set to end May 23rd, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton spoke with KTBB about some of his concerns with the Biden administrations plans once the borders are open to the flood of immigrants. The Attorney General expressed concerns about the amount to crime, drugs and gang activity along the border. Among other things, he believes that the Cartels are being given a free pass to bring in people, drugs and weapons into the country. The Biden administration will look the other way with the understanding that these immigrants will vote Democrat. He worries this will have long term consequences economically and our way of life.

TYLER – A former Smith County deputy accused of illegally assisting a drug dealer from Mexico is now facing a federal charge of accepting a bribe. According to our news partner KETK, 28-year-old Luis A. Sandoval was arrested in August and charged with misuse of official information in state court. It came after a months-long investigation by the East Texas Anti-Gang Task Force. Sandoval was employed with the Smith County Sheriff’s Office from November 2017 to August 2021. A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Sandoval in March on a charge of receiving a bribe as an agent of an organization that receives federal funds. The federal court documents allege that the bribe had “a value of $5,000 or more” and was “rewarded in connection with taking official action to protect the person’s illegal enterprise from law enforcement activity.”

LONGVIEW – An Overton man who was one of six suspects arrested as part of a multi-agency investigation sent explicit messages to what he believed was a 16-year-old girl, according to an arrest warrant obtained by our news partner KETK. 40-year-old Jason Fertitta was arrested earlier this month by DPS troopers along with five other men on charges of soliciting minors online. All were booked into the Smith County Jail. According to the warrant, they were taken into custody as part of an investigation called “Operation Cookie Monster.” An investigator wrote that he began “chatting [with Fertitta]…during the conversation [Fertitta] was told the person he was chatting with was almost 17 years old.” The document states that Fertitta allegedly sent graphic photos of himself to whom he thought was the 16-year-old girl and asked if she liked it. Continue reading Warrant: Man sent explicit photos in solicitation investigation

TYLER – A Tyler man pleaded guilty Thursday morning to a manslaughter charge from a 2019 boat crash on Lake Palestine that killed 14-year-old Roberto Carlos Bermejo Hernandez, also of Tyler. According to our news partner KETK, 34-year-old Jeffrey Hampton admitted to hitting Hernandez, who was standing on a dock, with a boat. While Hampton admitted guilt, he requested a jury trial for the punishment phase, which is set to begin Monday morning. Assistant District Attorney Noah Coltman said he will add special instructions for the jury to determine whether Hampton used the boat as a deadly weapon. This would affect the sentencing the jury could give Hampton. Currently, he could get anywhere between 5 to 99 years in prison.

TYLER — Tyler police responded around 10:00 Wednesday night to a major wreck on Grande Boulevard. Officers said the driver of Toyota RAV4 had been traveling eastbound when it struck the passenger side rear bumper of a Ford F150 that was making a left turn. The Toyota RAV4 lost control and flipped, ejecting the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle. The driver, identified as Lamonte Martin, 24, of Tyler, was pronounced dead at the scene. The two occupants of the Ford F150 were uninjured. All lanes of traffic have since reopened.

SMITH COUNTY — A Tyler woman was sentenced to 35 years in prison on Tuesday for the 2020 murder of her husband. According to our news partner KETK, Debbie Bryant, 57, confessed to shooting her husband, 58-year-old Allen Ferguson in early 2020. Authorities said that they received a call early in the morning from a woman saying her husband had been shot. Officers went to the residence at 617 Maxwell and found Ferguson with what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the head. He was taken to a hospital in critical condition and died several days later. Continue reading Smith County woman sentenced to prison for husband’s murder

EAST TEXAS — A few East Texas school districts decided to cancel or delay classes following yet another round of severe weather Tuesday night — and at least one church has canceled an event. According to our news partner KETK, most of the listed schools have canceled due to a lack of power on their campuses. Among school districts that called off classes Wednesday were Alto, Rusk, and Union Grove. Tyler’s Good Shepherd School also decided to close Wednesday, in this case due to downed trees. Schools that notified us of delays have since resumed activities. Meantime, Tyler’s Trinity Fellowship Church has canceled its Love Indeed food distribution for tonight due to the weather.

TYLER – Many Tyler residents were concerned Tuesday night when a tornado warning was issued for the area but outdoor sirens did not sound off. According to our news partner KETK, the city’s Adrianna Rodriguez says the sirens didn’t go off the first time they were activated Tuesday night. A company from out of state is looking at the sirens to investigate what happened and try to prevent it from happening again. The city posted on Facebook that the siren system is now back online. Rodriguez gave a reminder that tornado sirens are not meant to be heard inside your house. For the latest city-wide alerts, you can sign up here for Tyler Smart 911.

TYLER — The Tyler City Council Wednesday unanimously authorized the city manager to execute a contract for construction of the 2022 Seal Coat Program project. Construction on the 35 lane miles of roadway is scheduled to begin in May and be completed by August. The roads at the West Side Wastewater Treatment Plant are also included. The project is mainly funded from the General Fund, with additional money from Tyler Water Utilities for the wastewater treatment plant work. Click here for details, including the full project list.

AUSTIN — Dr. David Lakey, the University of Texas System’s chief medical officer and vice chancellor for health affairs, has been appointed to a new non-partisan commission charged with reimagining a stronger health care system at every level of government. That’s according to a UT System news release. Lakey is also a professor of medicine at UT Health Science Center at Tyler. According to the release, the Commonwealth Fund – a private foundation that has been dedicated to improving the U.S. health infrastructure since 1918 – recently created the Commission on a National Public Health System in response to the challenges faced by the nation’s decentralized health care system during the COVID-19 pandemic. Officials say Lakey will work with others to streamline and improve U.S. health care. By early summer 2022, the commission is expected to recommend key strategies in the effort.

BULLARD — Bullard ISD has announced that Wednesday classes will start two hours later than usual due to power outages at the four campuses.

TYLER — Tyler police continue to seek a second suspect in a homicide that came to light last month. A warrant for murder was obtained on Christian Navon-Whitney Polk, 19, of Tyler, with a $2,000,000 bond. Police said his whereabouts remain unknown and he is considered armed and dangerous. If you have any information on his whereabouts, you’re asked to contact the Tyler Police Department at 903-531-1000 or Tyler-Smith County Crime Stoppers at 903-597-2833. Continue reading Suspect still sought in Tyler homicide

TYLER — Tuesday’s State of the County presentation from Smith County officials included a long-anticipated item. After years of planning — and waiting — officials are now optimistic that a ballot item on a new courthouse will finally reach voters in November. Overall, County Judge Nathaniel Moran terms the state of the county “very good.” He says officials also discussed election security efforts, law enforcement, and the day-in-day out efforts of county personnel. Moran says, “We’re grateful for the service of our elected officials and for our department heads.” The event was hosted by the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce.

TYLER — NET Health’s George Roberts remains pleased with the low COVID numbers in the area, but his call for more vaccinations hasn’t let up. And it now includes word on a new recommendation. Roberts says second boosters are now available in the NET Health jurisdiction for people 50 and older, as well as those 12 and older with chronic medical conditions. And he reminds us that vaccinations will not prevent COVID-19, but they “will prevent a very difficult course of care” if you contract the virus. Roberts says the BA.2 variant now makes up 86 per cent of total covid cases nationwide, and local officials are continuing to monitor BA.2. For more information on COVID-19 in East Texas, click here.

TYLER – On Monday, the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce announced its strong support for the Tyler ISD school bond, which would rebuild Hubbard Middle School and provide a new location for Early College High School. Chamber President Henry Bell cited the need to equip future leaders along with community and economic development as the main reasons for the Chamber’s overwhelming support of the bond. David Freeman, Chairman of Tyler Proud, agreed the bond will benefit the entire community and thanked the Chamber for its backing. Tyler Proud is a local group that supports the bond proposal. Early voting is April 25–May 3, and voting day for Tyler ISD residents is Saturday, May 7, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

MARSHALL — A statement was issued Tuesday by Marshall Chief of Police Cliff Carruth in response to recent violent crimes in the city. Among other things, police are currently investigating a shooting that caused minor injuries to a woman and two children who were not believed to have been targets. Carruth says, “The men and women of the Marshall Police Department are aware that our community is very concerned with the recent increase in violent crime in Marshall. We share that concern with you. We want everyone to know that we take these incidents seriously and are utilizing every tool at our disposal to identify and arrest those involved and bring an end to these violent crimes.” Continue reading Marshall police chief speaks out on local violence

MOUNT ENTERPRISE – A forest fire in Rusk County burned roughly 49 acres Monday. According to our news partner KETK, Officials called it the Hollow Rock Branch Fire, and it was contained around 7:30 p.m. Fire officials say a large plume of smoke was reported near Mount Enterprise around 2 p.m., and the fire was so far back in the woods they were not able to find it immediately. To find the fire, they used a drone. This is just one of dozens of fires that first responders have been battling in recent days. Nacogdoches and Rains counties are both under burn bans at this time. Despite rain in the forecast, officials urge people to be responsible and not burn until the risk decreases. The Rusk County fire marshal reminds residents that if they’re going to burn, to do it after there has been rain and look for moisture on the ground.

TYLER — Presidents and provosts of Tyler Junior College and The University of Texas at Tyler signed an articulation agreement that allows TJC students to transfer to UT Tyler to complete baccalaureate degrees in multiple fields of study. According to a news release, those signing the agreement included TJC President Juan E. Mejia, UT Tyler President Kirk A. Calhoun, TJC Provost Deana Sheppard and UT Tyler Provost Amir Mirmiran. The ceremony took place Monday at TJC’s main campus. The new partnership also establishes priority deadlines for admissions and scholarship notification by UT Tyler to TJC transferring students, and will help facilitate student services, scholarships and honors programs. Continue reading TJC, UT Tyler sign articulation agreement for multiple fields of study

UPSHUR COUNTY — A Gilmer man was sentenced to 60 years in prison after pleading guilty to burglary of a habitation and criminal mischief for disrupting power at an Upshur Rural substation by stealing copper wire. According to our news partner KETK, Christopher Robertson, 35, was sentenced to 50 years with an additional 10 years due to his prior criminal history. In September of 2021, Robertson was arrested for damage done to an Upshur Rural Electric Cooperative substation. Deputies responded to a reported fire at the Upshur Rural Electric substation on Bluebird Road. When authorities arrived, they found copper ground wire cut and two regulators burned with smoke still coming from them. The release stated that cigarettes and other items left behind aided officers in identifying Robertson as a suspect. Continue reading Gilmer man sentenced to prison for copper wire theft

RUSK — More information is released in a two-day kidnapping-and hostage case in Cherokee County. Officials say it began Thursday night when authorities got a call about a possible kidnapping. Cherokee County SWAT responded to an address near CR 2108 in the Oakland community. Officials say 44-year-old Scott Coe of Whitehouse refused to leave the residence. He also refused to allow his victim, 27-year-old Christin Robertson of Jacksonville, to leave. Authorities say they determined Coe had kidnapped his victim by force and made numerous threats to kill her and law enforcement while barricaded in the home. Continue reading Probe of hostage situation continues

LONGVIEW — The Longview Parks and Recreation Department office at 130 E. Timpson St. reopened Monday on regular schedule. The facility had closed this past Friday due to a power outage. Recreation centers have remained on regular schedule, and Parks and Recreation programming has continued as previously scheduled.

TYLER — TxDOT will be busy with another round of construction and maintenance work in the Tyler District this week. In Smith County, Tyler Maintenance will have an overlay crew on FM 2089 with traffic controlled by flaggers and a pilot vehicle. Herbicide and ditch maintenance crews will also be in various locations throughout the county. In Gregg County, Longview Maintenance will be on FM 2751 for leveling work. FM 2751 will be closed to traffic. Click here for a complete rundown of roadwork around the district.