Today is
Sunday September 22, 2024
HENDERSON COUNTY â Former chief of the now-defunct Coffee City Police Department was arrested on several charges on Wednesday. According to our news partner KETK, JohnJay Portillo, 51 of Houston, was charged with six counts of tampering with government records. According to online arrest records., each charge had a $150,000 bond totaling to $900,000. Records show Portillo bonded out of jail. The arresting agency was the Henderson County Sheriffâs Office and the warrants were issued by the 3rd District Court. The charges all share an offense date of April 12, 2021. Coffee City Council meeting minutes show that Portillo was sworn in on that date. Minutes show councilmembers asking Portillo about gaps in his resume and his businesses in Houston before administering his oath of office.
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KILGORE â The City of Kilgore hosted their annual ‘A Very Derrick Christmas’ oil derrick lighting ceremony on Saturday evening. According to our news partner KETK, the event featured vendors, food, music and their traditional live performance from the Kilgore Rangerettes. âItâs really fun, Iâm from a really big town so anytime I get to come to Kilgore and see the tightknit community, Itâs just the sweetest thing, we love to see the community,â said Rangerette Lauren Nix. The family friendly event is held every holiday season in downtown Kilgore.
LONGVIEW â The Longview Police Department said they are investigating a shooting at a shopping center that left one person with non-life-threating injuries on Saturday. According to our news partner KETK, the shooting happened around 1:30 p.m. at a shopping center located at 1217 East Marshall Avenue. Longview PD said one person had left the scene in a private vehicle to be treated for non-life-threating injuries at a local hospital. The shooting reportedly started after a confrontation between two people who knew each other. The Longview Police Department said they have one person in custody and that they are actively investigating the scene. Anyone with information is asked to contact Longview PD at 903-237-1110.
UPSHUR COUNTY â The Upshur County Sheriffâs Office said that a woman was arrested on Saturday for allegedly hindering the apprehension of a suspect in a recent double homicide case. According to our news partner KETK, Laquesha Monique McKnight, 38 of Longview, is reportedly the sister of 41-year-old Alvin âPookieâ McKnight Jr. McKnight Jr is a suspect wanted in connection to the murder of Mandy Ray, 35 and Dermetrica Dashaunda Waters, 37 both from Gilmer. Officials said Laquesha helped Alvin to escape from the Upshur County area on the night of the murders. According to the sheriffâs office, Laquesha was confronted with the evidence of her having helped Alvin but she did not cooperate. Laquesha was booked into the Upshur County Jail and her bond has been set at $500,000, according to jail records.
GUN BARREL CITY â The Gun Barrel City Fire Department said that they freed a driver who was trapped in their vehicle after crashing into a tree on Saturday. According to our news partner KETK, the crash happened around 9:25 p.m. in the 300 block of Legendary Lane when the vehicle left the roadway and hit a tree. According to Gun Barrel City Fire Department, the speed of the crash trapped the driver inside and they had to use Hurst Jaws of Life Rescue Tools to free the driver. The driver was transported to a hospital in Tyler by helicopter, officials said. Gun Barrel City Fire and Police Departments, the Seven Points Police Department and the Texas Highway Patrol responded to the scene.
TYLERâ Tyler Junior College hosted a homecoming tailgate and solar eclipse watch party at the W.T Brookshire Conference Center in Tyler on Saturday according to our news partner KETK. Everyone wore their eclipse glasses and safely watched the spectacular astronomical event unfold. âWith the annular eclipse, which is what we had today, the moon is further away from the sun and so, we wouldnât see a total eclipse like we will in April,â said Jean Fuller, a TJC educator. âIâm more excited about it, although this one was cool.â During the eclipse in April, Fuller said it will be a total solar eclipse where youâll have two minutes where you can look directly at the eclipse without hurting your eyes. Fuller added that East Texas wonât have another total eclipse in until the next millennium.
TYLER â Anderson, Henderson and Smith County Game Wardens responded to an anonymous call about alligator poaching along the Neches River and their investigations led to them discovering a suspect at the scene. According to our news partner KETK, they found an alligator shot with a compound bow behind the Lake Palestine spillway. The investigation also states that after the suspect allegedly injured the 4.5-foot alligator, he jumped into the river to retrieve the alligator. Two other accomplices assisted in dispatching the alligator with a knife before the trio began taking pictures and a video to post on social media. Read the rest of this entry »
CHEROKEE COUNTY â About 110 kilos of liquid methamphetamine were seized on Tuesday 500 feet from a school in Rusk according to our news partner KETK. The sheriffâs office said the seizure was a part of a joint investigation with Jacksonville police and Homeland Security Investigations. The meth carries a street value of about $500,000 and was found by investigators in a storage building on Eagle Drive in an investigation into a drug trafficking organization. The DEA and Lone Star Hazmat were contacted by the sheriffâs office to assist in the seizure and decontamination of the items. âThis investigation is still ongoing at this time, and more information will be released on a later date,â Sheriff Brent Dickson said in a release.
MARSHALL â The Harrison County Sheriffâs Office said that a man was arrested on Saturday after allegedly kicking, biting and fighting deputies following a traffic stop. According to our news partner KETK, Deputy Anderson and K9 Pato stopped a dark Cadillac that was speeding on Highway 80 in Marshall. The Cadillac stopped on Yaney Street after attempting to evade Anderson and Pato. Jessica Parker, 29, who was driving the Cadillac, was arrested for unrestrained children, speeding and warrants, jail records show. A passenger, Adam Foster, 22, allegedly kicked, bit and fought with Anderson and additional responding deputies, officials said. Foster was arrested for assaulting a peace officer, resisting arrest, possession of a controlled substance between 4 and 400 grams and warrants. Both Foster and Parker are being held at the Harrison County jail.
GLADEWATER â Several East Texas Fire departments responded to a structure fire in the 2000 block of Highway 80 near Gladewater on Saturday. According to our news partner KETK. around 3:30 p.m. Gladewater Fire Department requested mutual aid from Clarksville City-Warren City Volunteer Fire Department and White Oak Volunteer Fire Department. When crews arrived officials said they found fire on the front of the house that was spreading into the attic and living area. Crews were able to contain the fire to the attic and one room before extinguishing the blaze. According to Gladewater Fire Department no injuries were reported. A member of West Mountain Volunteer Fire Department also assisted, according to White Oak VFD. They added that Gregg County Fire Marshals were on the scene investigating the cause of the fire.
BULLARD â Bullard ISD named their new director of safety and security and police chief. According to our news partner KETK, Pat Hendrix, a man who has spent almost 40 years dedicated to law enforcement, was approved for hire at a special meeting on July 5. He will take the place of Chief John Jones, who accepted a regional position with the Texas Education Agency as an Assistant Chief of School Safety and Security. Hendrix brings 20 years of service with the Smith County Sheriffâs Office, working as jailer, patrol officer, patrol sergeant, SWAT officer, narcotics officer, major crimes detective and supervisor of the Criminal Investigation Unit. After retiring in 2006, he became the Chief of Police for the Troup Police Department. He stayed for 17 years working to grow the school resource officer program, K9 officer program, student tours of TPD, annual security audits and training exercises and more. Read the rest of this entry »
GLADEWATER â Gladewater Police responded to a shooting near Highway 135 and Highway 271 on Sunday. According to our news partner KETK, EMS transported a 31-year-old man to a hospital in Tyler for medical treatment. The man was said to be in stable condition. A felony arrest warrant was issued for Robert Daniel Smith, 25. Smith is described as six foot tall, hazel eyes, brown hair and weighs 175 pounds. He was last seen reportedly driving a white Nissan Altima 4-door sedan with Texas license plate STP5900 and is considered to be armed and dangerous. Contact police with any information.
GLADEWATER â The Gladewater Police Department said that a man has died after witness said he dived headfirst from a 40 foot high embankment into four-foot deep water on Saturday. According to our news partner KETK, a 9/11 call came in around 4:20 p.m. on Saturday about an unresponsive man and emergency services were dispatched to 1602 Lakeshore Drive at Gladewater Lake. Gladewater Fire Department, Christus EMS and Gladewater Police attempted to resuscitate the 34 year-old man but he died, according to Gladewater PD. Gladewater PD said their initial investigation ârevealed that alcohol may have been a contributing factor in this unfortunate incident.â Upshur County Justice of the Peace Wyone Manes responded and held the inquest in this case.