KTBB News, Weather, Talk

RUSK – The Rusk Police Department is currently searching for a missing man after his vehicle was found stopped on Highway 84 near the Neches River on Dec. 6. According to our news partner KETK, James David Blount is a 57-year-old white man who is 5’09”, weighs around 200 pounds and has brown hair and blue eyes. Rusk PD said Blount was last seen on Tuesday, Dec. 2.

The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office said that a $25,000 reward is being offered for anyone who provides information leading to the location of Blount.

Blount’s vehicle was found on Saturday on Highway 84 west at the Neches River near the Cherokee and Anderson County line. Heal Corp search and rescue personnel have been searching the Neches River near where Blount’s vehicle was found but they hadn’t turned up anything as of Dec. 21.

Anyone with information about Blount’s disappearance is asked to call 911 or Rusk PD at 903-683-2677.

HENDERSON – The Henderson Police Department said a woman was shot on Sunday while in her vehicle near the intersection of FM 225 and Highway 79. According to our news partner KETK, the woman was shot around 1 p.m. by a suspect who reportedly fled the scene in a black truck. Department Deputy Chief Chase Berryhill confirmed on Monday that the victim has since died. The woman has been identified as Dora Morales-Ruiz, 39, of Henderson. Law enforcement immediately began looking for the suspected shooter and they eventually found the suspect dead in Rusk County. The Rusk County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating the death of the suspected shooter.

“The Henderson Police Department would like to thank the Texas Department of Public Safety, Rusk County Constable Stewart and the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance and cooperation during the search for the suspect,” Henderson PD said.

LUFKIN – A 52-year-old man has died after his truck crashed into an overpass pillar in Lufkin on Saturday according to our news partner KETK. A Ford F-150 truck hit a concrete pillar at around 4 p.m. under the overpass at Ellen Trout Drive and Kurth Drive. Lufkin Police said the 52-year-old man driving the truck was ejected and the vehicle caught on fire. Lufkin PD said the man was taken to a local hospital. He later died while receiving treatment. Officials haven’t released his name since they’re working to notify his family.

TYLER – A $1,000 prize is currently being offered by Operation Game Thief for information regarding a recent unlawful killing and disposal of two deer close to Lake Tyler. According to our news partner KETK, a white-tailed doe and a yearling buck were shot either late on December 14 or early on December 15 in a residential area on Big Oak Bay Road close to Lake Tyler, according to Operation Game Thief. Reports say a small caliber gun was used to shoot the animals before their carcasses were dumped and wasted.
Continue reading Reward offered after deer killed

VAN ZANDT COUNTY – The Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office arrested a driver on Friday after they allegedly shot at a vehicle following a minor crash. Our news partners at KETK report that just before 6 p.m. on Friday, two vehicles were involved in a minor crash on State Highway 64 near Loop 49. As one driver left the scene, the other driver followed them while calling 911. As they reached the T intersection at CR 4915, the second driver allegedly caused a crash with the first vehicle in an attempt to stop it. Neither of the drivers were identified by law enforcement on Friday. Officials said the initial crash was not report-able and caused less than $1000 of damage.

SMITH COUNTY – Debby Gunter, a Smith County judge in the 241st District Court, has declared her intention to run for reelection in 2026. Gunter is seeking re-election in the Republican Primary on March 3. He was first elected as a judge of the court in 2023.
Continue reading Local district judge running for re-election

TYLER – One person involved in a pursuit was taken into custody on Friday after shots were fired during a traffic stop in Lindale. According to our news partner KETK and the Lindale PD, the pursuit started in Lindale near the Cracker Barrel as a traffic stop on a white Pontiac Grand Prix. During the stop, shots were fired from the vehicle by an assault rifle before the Pontiac drove off down Highway 69. The Smith County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the pursuit before the Pontiac entered Tyler city limits.

Tyler Police Department officers responded to the pursuit which eventually came to an end when an officer did a pit maneuver on the Pontiac, near the intersection of Shawnee Boulevard and Highway 110. The driver was taken into custody and according to Lindale PD, the officer that performed the pit maneuver was evaluated for minor injuries at the scene. A woman whose vehicle was hit as the pursuit ended was also evaluated for minor injuries at the scene. Continue reading One arrested after Smith County pursuit

LONGVIEW — Longview Independent School District distributed an early Christmas gift of more than $3.17 million in performance-based incentive pay to high-performing teachers and staff on Friday. According to our news partner KETK, the funding was provided through the districts ‘Longview ISD Incentive for Teachers’ (LIFT) program, which rewards measurable performance, campus-wide achievement and specialized credentials earned during the school year.

“This is not a bonus for showing up,” Superintendent Dr. Marla Sheppard said. “These dollars reflect results and growth. They reflect the expectation that excellence in Longview ISD will be recognized in a meaningful way.”
Continue reading Longview awards over $3M in teacher incentives

WINNSBORO — Winnsboro ISD Board of Trustees dismissed its police chief following a unanimous vote on Thursday evening. According to our news partner KETK, the decision to consider Police Chief Heath Guy’s termination in a closed executive session was agreed upon by both parties. No additional details were given by the school district regarding the evidence presented by both parties that led to Guy’s termination. Guy was placed on administrative leave in June due to reportedly failing to notify the district about a Texas Rangers investigation of a sexual relationship between a Winnsboro ISD employee and a student. The employee, Nicholas Gabriele, was arrested in June after allegedly admitting to the improper relationship.

VAN – Our news partners at KETK report a man wanted for burglary of a building, criminal mischief and theft in Van was arrested last week after a pursuit through Smith County. According to the Van Police Department, they received reports of a building burglary on Nov. 28. Within 24 hours of these reports, law enforcement identified Daylan Blue as a suspect and issued warrants for his arrest. On Dec. 11, Blue was spotted by Smith County Sheriff’s Office deputies who attempted to stop his vehicle. Van PD said a pursuit ensued and Blue was subsequently arrested. Continue reading Burglary suspect arrested after pursuit

OVERTON — Our news partners at KETK report the Overton City Council voted Thursday night to appeal a Texas Department of Transportation demand to remove the horseshoes from Warren Street. TxDOT contacted the city in early December, stating the horseshoe markings did not meet state roadway standards and directed officials to remove them. On Thursday, city leaders instead chose to formally appeal the decision. The issue first gained attention in October when Gov. Greg Abbott announced that TxDOT had begun removing nonstandard surface markings from roadways across the state. City officials say the horseshoes represent Overton ISD’s mascot, the Mustang, and have been part of Warren Street since the early 1990s. While acknowledging TxDOT’s concerns, council members voted to challenge the order rather than remove the markings. Continue reading Overton appeals TxDOT demand

HARRISON COUNTY – Elysian Fields High School head girls basketball coach Crystal Roberts has resigned after being arrested for an alleged theft at Walmart’s Marshall location. Roberts, 44, was arrested on a property theft charge between $100 and $750. She was later released from the Harrison County Jail after posting a $700 bond the day of her arrest. Her resignation letter was effective as of Monday.

SMITH COUNTY — The man who vandalized a marble statue of Jesus at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Flint was sentenced Thursday to one year in state jail. Jordan Grey Clark, 36, pleaded guilty to criminal mischief at a place of worship in connection with the Sept. 7 vandalism. The statue, located outside of the church, was found with its nose and hands shattered. Deputies discovered the damage around 8:45 a.m. on Sept. 7. Surveillance footage later showed a suspect approaching the statue around 1:14 a.m. and using a hammer to break parts of the face and hands before walking south toward County Road 1299. Investigators noted the suspect was wearing gloves, which prevented them from lifting fingerprints from the statue or nearby objects.

According to our news partner KETK, an anonymous tip received days later led detectives to Clark, who lived nearby and was reportedly “acting strangely,” according to investigators. Authorities then contacted Clark’s father, who told deputies his son has schizophrenia and refuses to take medication because he believes it makes him feel uncomfortable. The father also said Clark does not own a vehicle or a smartphone, believing smartphones are possessed, and instead uses a flip phone. Continue reading Man who vandalized Jesus statue sentenced