Today is
Tuesday November 26, 2024
HARRISON COUNTY – A good Samaritan was injured in Harrison County when he stopped to aid a woman who appeared to be having car trouble. It happened before 6:00 Thursday night on Sandy Drive in Longview. As he was looking under the hood of her car, he said two men came out of the woods and attacked him. He was hit in the back of the head and shot in the foot. He went to Longview Regional Medical Center for treatment of his injuries. The investigation into the incident is continuing.
PALESTINE – Palestine police have arrested a robbery suspect who reportedly tried to set fire to two women. Arrested around 5:00 Thursday afternoon was Robert Thompson, 40. He is said to be the armed robber who held up the Pit Stop on Link Street around 10:00 Thursday morning. The robber left with an undisclosed amount of money. Before leaving, the thief had the clerk and a customer sit on the floor and then bound the two women with duct tape. He then doused both women with lighter fluid and set the customer on fire. She was transported to Palestine Regional Medical Center and was then transferred to the burn center at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas. Thompson has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated robbery. His bonds total $4 million.
TYLER – A federal grand jury in Tyler, on Wednesday, indicted Daniel Driver, 34, of Atlanta Georgia, in an insurance wire fraud scheme. The indictment says Driver was one of four persons involved in a multi-jurisdictional fraud and arson scheme that spanned from Hawaii to Texas. It involved the destruction of various assets, including aircraft and vessels. They then fraudulently obtained payouts from insurance companies. One of the assets was a Cessna 500, which was completely destroyed when it was set it on fire at the airport in Athens. Three of the persons have already been sentenced in the case. If Driver is convicted, he could get up to 20 years in a federal prison.
TYLER – Smith County Habitat for Humanity is looking for East Texas veterans who need critical home repairs. They have received a $150,000 grant from the Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans’ Assistance. The money will be used to assist veterans in making their homes accessible, healthy and safe. Any veteran or surviving spouse living in Smith, Cherokee, Henderson, Rusk and Van Zandt counties is eligible to apply for assistance. From 2014-2017, Smith County Habitat received 3 grants from the Texas Veterans Commission totaling $450,000 and completed 57 projects for veterans and their families. With the newly awarded grant, Smith County Habitat estimates repairing the homes of 24 veterans. You can call 903-595-6630 for more details or to make an appointment with a grant specialist.
HENDERSON – A man accused of shooting four persons, killing two of them, made his initial court appearance in Henderson Thursday morning. Randy Buford Winn, 62, appeared before a justice of the peace. His bond on charges of murder, and capital murder, was set at $2.5 million. The shooting occurred around 6:00 Sunday evening at the Oak Manor Apartments on South Van Buren Street in Henderson. Following the shooting, Winn fled to Louisiana. A tip from a relative led to his arrest. Investigators are still trying to learn the motive for the shooting.
HENDERSON – A Kilgore man is heading to prison after changing his plea during his murder trial. Wednesday afternoon, Marvin Durrell Sanders, 38, of Kilgore pleaded guilty to first degree murder. He then accepted a 40 year prison term. Sanders had been accused of the shooting death of his cousin, Waylon Hunt, 37, of Kilgore. Witnesses told investigators that Sanders just walked up and put a gun to Hunt’s head and shot him. He died during a family gathering as they watched a Dallas Cowboys football game the day before Christmas in 2017.
TYLER – Tyler firefighters walked through neighborhoods Wednesday in what Fire Marshal Paul Findley described as a successful fire safety blitz. Preliminary numbers indicate that firefighters made contact with around 250 houses in the area surrounding a recent fatal house fire on North Grand Avenue. Almost 70 new smoke alarms were installed, with accompanying safety checks and tips from the firefighters. For homes that already had smoke alarms in place, almost 50 batteries where changed, ensuring that they were up-to-date and ready to protect residents in the event of a fire. While firefighters found some homes unoccupied at the time of today’s blitz, over 150 informational tags were placed at the door with information on contacting the fire department if occupants want to schedule an install at a later date.
TYLER – The interim Smith County constable in Precinct 1 has announced his intentions to run for the office. Constable Bobby Garmon announced his candidacy on Wednesday. The former chief deputy for the Smith County Sheriff’s office says he has the training and experience that it takes to be an effective leader and represent the community. Garmon was appointed as Interim Constable of Precinct 1 on December 14, 2017. He was appointed to the post after a judge suspended Henry Jackson. A couple of months earlier, Jackson had reported to federal prison to serve a six month sentence for tax evasion.
MARSHALL – At a ceremony Thursday afternoon, two new Marshall police officers will take their oath of office. Officer Ashley Lakatos, 31, originally from New York, has worked at the Longview Police Department for the past three years. She graduated from the East Texas Police Academy in Kilgore in October of 2013. Officer John Cook, 21, of Henderson, graduated from the East Texas Police Academy in June of 2018. A small reception will follow the ceremony.
TYLER – A donation made in Tyler Wednesday will help in the study of a sports related injury. The Project Rose Institute for Sports Science donated $25,000 to the Institute for Integrated Healthcare. The institute is a part of the UT Tyler College of Nursing and Health Sciences. The money will be used to research treatment, repair and recovery of Anterior Cruciate Ligament injuries. ACL injuries commonly occur in sports, and, are rising among the general population. Presenting the check to the institute were Tyler natives, and NFL stars Earl Campbell and Gary Baxter.
TYLER – A dozen awards were handed out Tuesday night as the Tyler Police Department held it annual awards banquet. Named as officer of the year was April Molina, who said she was shocked and surprised. She was recognized for her work ethic and commitment to service. It’s not her first award. She previously received a life saving award and an award while serving as a dispatcher. The Plainclothes Officer of the year was detective Doyle Lynch and officer Jackson Hug was named rookie of the year. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Starting Thursday, Sunnybrook Drive between Azalea Drive and Camellia Street will be closed for the relocation of utilities and the replacement of bridges. Traffic will be detoured around the location onto South Kennedy Avenue or onto North Azalea Drive. It is said that the closure will last 60 days. Sunnybrook Drive is expected to reopen on Monday, April 22.
HENDERSON – A murder suspect has been returned to Rusk County. Randy Buford Winn, 62, was found in Louisiana. He was returned to Henderson on Wednesday to face capital murder charges. A tip from a family member led to his arrest. He was wanted for the Sunday evening shooting deaths of Justin Smith, 31 and Holly Jones, 37. Two persons, who were injured in the shooting, are said to be in stable condition. The shooting occurred at the Oak Manor Apartments on South Van Buren Street in Henderson. The investigation continues as officers try to learn the motive for the shooting.
GILMER – A Titus County man, accused of shooting a woman and then driving around for several hours, is heading to prison. Steven Seth Rosewell, 32, of Cookville, changed his plea to guilty prior to his trial in Gilmer Tuesday morning. He asked for the jury to set his punishment. The panel deliberated about 30 minutes before sentencing him to 15 years in prison for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Seven educators are being honored with Arts in Education Awards. Young Audiences of Northeast Texas announced the 2019 award winners. Individual arts educators from public and/or private schools within the Region 7 geographic area were eligible to be nominated. Finalists were selected by a panel of local arts professionals and community members. The winners will be honored at an award ceremony and dinner to be held in April at Tyler’s Willow Brook Country Club. Read the rest of this entry »