Local physician appointed as new Smith County Health Authority

SMITH COUNTY – Smith County now has a new local health authority. Dr. Valerie B. Smith was appointed by the commissioner’s court on Tuesday and sworn in by County Judge Neal Franklin. She replaces Dr. Paul McGaha after his retirement. Smith is assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine. She has served the children of East Texas for nearly two decades as a pediatrician at St. Paul’s Children’s Foundation. Smith got her degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School and did her pediatric residency at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock. She got her master of public health from the UT Science Center School of Community and Rural Health. She was recommended to the commissioners court by the NET Health Board of Directors. Health Authorities are “physicians appointed to administer state and local laws relating to public health within an appointing body’s jurisdiction,” according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Marshall woman found guilty of murdering boyfriend, sentenced to 18 years in prison

MARSHALL – A Marshall woman has been found guilty and sentenced for the killing of her boyfriend back in 2020. According to our news partner KETK, Charlene Keigi, 63, of Marshall was found guilty of murder on Thursday in the 71st District Court. Keigi was arrested back on September 14, 2020 for the death of Terry Thomas. The sheriff’s office said Keigi called 911 at about 4 p.m. to report that her recently separated boyfriend was on her property. The call was then disconnected. Officials then said she called back a short time later saying she had shot Thomas, and that she’d be in the front yard waiting for them to arrive. When deputies responded to the scene, they reportedly detained Keigi and began rendering first aid to Thomas until EMS arrived. Thomas was taken to a local hospital where he later died from his injures. Keigi was sentenced to 18 years in prison after being found guilty.

Ex-Wills Point ISD employee arrested after alleged indecency with child

WILLS POINT – A former Wills Point ISD employee was arrested by Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office in relation to an indecency with a child investigation. According to our news partner KETK, Kenneth Dale Faling was arrested on Friday Feb. 24. He was a technology technician with Wills Point ISD, according to a statement from superintendent Richard A. Cooper. “At this time, Mr. Faling is no longer employed with Wills Point ISD. This alleged behavior did not occur on a Wills Point ISD campus or property,” Cooper said. In a Facebook comment Wills Point ISD said that Faling tenured his resignation Friday evening, the same day as his arrest. According to Van Zandt County, Faling is being held on $300,000 bond for the charge of alleged indecency with child sexual contact. Wills Point ISD Police Department and Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office are continuing to investigate the situation.

Mount Pleasant Whataburger shooting leaves man dead, one arrested

MOUNT PLEASANT – Mount Pleasant Police Department has announced that they’ve made an arrest in connection to a Whataburger shooting that left a man dead Saturday morning. According to our news partner KETK, Mount Pleasant Police Department responded to 2321 South Jefferson Avenue because of reports of a shooting around 2:18 a.m. Police officers said they found a male, Damien O’neal Jackson, 30, of Mount Pleasant, with multiple gunshot wounds in the Whataburger parking lot. Officials said that EMS transported Jackson to Titus Regional Medical Center where he died. Mount Pleasant PD officers interviewed several eye-witnesses and said they determined that a fight started inside the Whataburger and eventually those fighting were told to leave. As they were all leaving the Whataburger, Jackson was shot. Later around 9:20 a.m. officials said they arrested Kentravion Jajuan Evans, 18, and booked him into Titus County Jail for on a murder charge.

Jarvis Christian University president announces plans to retire by: Michael Garcia

HAWKINS – Jarvis Christian University has announced that their current president and CEO is retiring in June, after 11 years at the school. According to our news partner KETK, Dr. Lester C. Newman started as JCU president in April of 2012 and has worked in higher education for 47 years. During his tenure at JCU, he helped save the school from “financial peril” and brought them to the point of operating without any debt, according to a press release. Dr. Newman also helped with turning around low enrollment, reviving Bulldog athletics, expanding degree programs and expanding the schools reach to Dallas. He recently brought them from being a college to a university through the creation of their business and criminal justice master’s degrees. (more…)

Cross Roads High School student arrested for felony terroristic threat

HENDERSON COUNTY – On Feb. 21, Henderson County Sheriff’s Office was made aware of a threat written on a Cross Roads ISD High School bathroom stall. According to our news partner KETK, the Henderson County Crimes Against Children Task Force worked closely with the school district and a K9 assisted in the investigation by conducting a search for firearms in the school. Carter Echo, 18, a student at Cross Roads High School, was interviewed by the task force on Feb. 24. After the interview, investigators prepared and presented an affidavit for an arrest warrant to Henderson County 392nd Judicial District Judge Scott McKee. McKee then issued an arrest warrant for Echo for the offense of terroristic threat, a third degree felony. Investigators arrested Echo and he is now waiting arraignment in the Henderson County Jail. If convicted, Echo could face up to 10 years in prison.

Man sentenced to 20 years after assaulting officer in Cherokee County

CHEROKEE COUNTY – A man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after being convicted of assaulting a peace officer on Thursday, according to Cherokee County. On Aug. 1 2022, Eric Paulk was arrested after hitting an officer over the head during the course of his arrest for an outstanding felony warrant, according to our news partner KETK. Paulk was convicted after 25 minutes of jury deliberation and Judge R. Chris Day sentenced him to 20 years in prison. Paulk was also fined $5000. Officials said that Cherokee County Sheriffs Office, Bullard Police Department and Jacksonville Police Department assisted in his capture.

Dollar Tree fined more than $250,000 after inspection at Mount Pleasant store

MOUNT PLEASANT – Dollar Tree Inc. has been fined $254,478 after federal workplace safety inspectors arrived at a store in Mount Pleasant, according to the Department of Labor. According to a release, inspectors found “the national discount retailer again shortchanging employee safety” by allowing storeroom merchandise to block exits, walkways and “stacking boxes high enough to fall on workers.” The Sept. 7, 2022 inspection also said the company failed to keep areas in the store and storerooms “clean, orderly and sanitary” and announced the more than $250,000 in fines issued by the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Thursday. (more…)

Former Rusk Chamber of Commerce manager enters plea bargain in theft case

RUSK – A former Rusk Chamber of Commerce manager was given a five year probated sentence after she entered a plea bargain on Feb. 8, according to Cherokee County District Attorney Elmer Beckworth. Officials said that in March of 2022, Tara Tatarski was indicted by a grand jury for theft of property greater than $30,000 from a nonprofit organization. According to our news partner KETK and Beckworth, as a part of her plea bargain Tatarski will have to pay restitution and serve five years probation. Current Rusk Chamber of Commerce Board President Cord Stover issued the following statement, “We are aware of the guilty plea and that the case was brought to a conclusion. Our focus as a Chamber remains on our members, our wonderful community and bright future ahead,” Stover said. After the Chamber found irregularities in their annual review, Tatarski was arrested in December of 2020 at her home in Rusk.

One arrested after man found shot on side of Longview road

LONGVIEW – On Feb. 15, the Longview Police Department said they responded to a shooting. According to a release, the shooting took place on the 1400 block of Bois D’Arc Street and when police arrived they found a man on the side of the road with gunshot wounds. The victim was taken to the hospital by the emergency medical service immediately. After an investigation, detectives issued an arrest warrant for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for 26-year-old Trenton Craig. Officials said they located Craig on Feb. 16 and arrested and transported him to the Gregg County Jail.

Gun Barrel City man arrested on obstruction, violence charges related to Capitol riot

WASHINGTON – A Gun Barrel City man was arrested by the FBI on Tuesday on charges of obstruction, engaging in physical violence and others related to the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot. According to our news partner KETK, William Sarsfield, 46 of Gun Barrel City, is identified by the FBI through surveillance footage and Metro Police bodycam footage, and can be seen “repeatedly engaging in the assault against law enforcement officers guarding the United States Capitol inside the ‘tunnel.’” After arriving in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021, court documents state, Sarsfield attended the “Stop the Steal” rally and marched to the U.S. Capitol with hundreds of rioters before making his way through police lines and to the Lower West Terrace. Sarsfield is also seen on surveillance footage grabbing two police shields and passing them forward in the tunnel, and according to court documents, joined rioters in yelling “heave ho” and “push.” (more…)

Tyler man sentenced to 18 years for child exploitation

TYLER – U.S Attorney Brit Featherston announced that a Tyler man was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for child exploitation violations on Thursday. On March 28, 2022, Daniel Dylan Skipworth, 20, pleaded guilty to transporting a 13-year-old girl from Alabama to engage in sexual activity at his home in Tyler. U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker sentenced Skipworth to 216 months in federal prison for the charge. Officials said that Skipworth’s conviction was the result of cooperation between the FBI, Tyler Police Department and Smith County Sheriff’s Office. According to Featherston, GPS data from the child’s phone was analyzed as a part of official’s investigation. The case is a part of Project Safe Childhood, a program launched by the Department of Justice in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse, according to officials.

Coffee City police arrest woman accused of assaulting officer

HENDERSON COUNTY – The Coffee City Police Department said they responded Thursday morning to a report of a woman walking on the center median of the bridge on SH 155. According to our news partner KETK, Lesa Phillips was identified as the woman. When officials arrived, Phillips was allegedly uncooperative and attempted to walk onto the southbound lanes during rush hour traffic. According to a release, officers were able to get a hold of Phillips right before she was struck by a vehicle clocked going 70 mph. Phillips continued to resist and allegedly kicked one of the officers trying to detain her. Once detained, Phillips allegedly attempted to kick out the windows of the unit transporting her to the Henderson County Jail. Phillips was booked and charged with felony assault of a peace officer, resisting arrest, search or transport, public intoxication, failure to identify and walking on a highway with traffic.

Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office investigating furniture store fire near Lindale

SMITH COUNTY – The Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating a large commercial building on fire Thursday morning. According to our news partner KETK there were no injuries, and officials said crews were continuing to work Thursday morning to extinguish the fire that has been enhanced by high winds. “When firefighters arrived, the building was 90-100% involved with fire,” officials said. According to officials, Lindale, Red Springs and Winona Fire Departments responded around 6:30 a.m. to a 30,000 square foot building on fire in the 11700 block of County Road 497 north of I-20. According to Smith County Fire Marshal Chief Deputy Chad Hogue, the building belongs to Keyla’s Furniture, and was used for cutting lumber and building furniture.

Upshur County Judge Jerald Dean Fowler pleads guilty to DWI charge

UPSHUR COUNTY – Upshur County District Judge Jerald Dean Fowler II pleaded guilty to a driving while intoxicated charge according to Jacob Putman, the Smith County District Attorney, who presided over the case. Fowler was sentenced to one year of probation. He is the 115th District Court judge. Fowler was arrested after a crash in Gilmer in September of 2022. Putman said a DWI is not an offense that an official can be removed for. He said the state judicial conduct commission can decide whether they want to take action.

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