Today is
Friday July 24, 2026
Update: Smith County officials said that one person has died in a motorcycle and two car crash, late Thursday afternoon.
SMITH COUNTY – The Smith County Emergency Services District 2 confirmed that three people have been hospitalized after a crash on Highway 155 near Coffee City on Thursday, according to a report from our news partner KETK.
The district said the crash occurred after a motorcycle and two cars collided near Cherokee Trail and County Road 189 on Highway 155 South near Lake Palestine. One person who was injured had to be transported to a local hospital by a helicopter, while two others were transported by ambulance.
The Smith County Sheriff’s Office and local firefighters responded to the crash, which left traffic blocked on Highway 155 for more than half an hour.
SMITH COUNTY — According to our news partner KETK, a nurse in Tyler was arrested after being caught on video physically abusing a child with special needs while being responsible for watching her. The Tyler Police Department became aware of the alleged abuse when the victim’s grandparents reported that one of their live-in nurses, Gabrielle Toon, was seen on video smacking their 14-year-old granddaughter and aggressively pushing her. Toon was responsible for watching the child during the evenings from 6 p.m. until 6 a.m.
The victim’s grandparents provided a list of the child’s medical condition to officials, stating that she is immobile, non-verbal and is dependent on oxygen at night. It was also reported that the victim has a chronic lung disease and is a kidney transplant recipient.
On July 7, officials received a video that allegedly depicted Toon physically abusing the victim on July 1. During the video, Toon was seen in what appeared to be a hospital bed with the victim physically harming her and slapping her multiple times. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY – A Lindale woman was arrested after her 4-year-old family member tested positive to having meth in her system, according to a report from our news partner KETK.
In May, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office became aware that the 4-year-old, who was under the custody of Brittany Hankins, had tested positive for methamphetamine while in Hankins’ care.
Officials obtained a lab report from a hair follicle test administered by The Alcohol & Drug Testing Service on May 28 that confirmed Hankins’ family member had meth in her system. Further lab reports also confirmed that Hankins had tested positive for meth on May 2 and May 14, indicating that she was using drugs during the time that the child was exposed.
Following the investigation, Hankins was arrested and charged with endangerment to a child, and criminal negligence. She is currently being held in the Smith County Jail.
MARSHALL — According to a press release from the Marshall Police department, a man was arrested for stealing equipment while firefighters were actively battling a fire.
On July 11, at the Bel Aire Apartments on Paula street, while Marshall firefighters were working to bring a fire under control, Marshall Police officers were alerted that a bag of equipment was missing. The investigation led to a suspect in a nearby apartment, identified as Marcus Donte Moore, 28, of Marshall, and the Fire Department equipment was located.
While being handcuffed, Moore broke away from officers and was apprehended after a brief chase. One Marshall Police officer sustained a hand injury during the pursuit. Read the rest of this entry »
ANDERSON COUNTY – A hearing in Palestine for death row inmate Robert Roberson, took place Wednesday morning after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton requested a new execution date in his case involving the death of his 2-year-old daughter, Nikki Curtis.
According to a report from our news partner KETK, the hearing was scheduled by Smith County District Court Judge Austin Reeve Jackson, who has been assigned to handle the case in Anderson County.
On January 31, 2002, Roberson took his two-year-old daughter, Nikki Curtis, to Palestine Regional Medical Center with severe trauma to her head, and the following day, she died from her injuries. In 2003, an East Texas jury decided, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Roberson caused the death of his daughter by violently shaking her. Medical staff and the lead detective on the case were suspicious of Roberson’s seemingly cold demeanor at the time of his daughter’s death, viewing it as an indication of guilt. Read the rest of this entry »
PALESTINE — Many lawmakers are raising urgent questions about how the state will sustain this growth, particularly regarding critical resources like water.
According to our news partner KETK, the Texas House Natural Resources Committee held a hearing in Austin on Tuesday to examine the impact of high-capacity groundwater extraction in the Neches and Trinity Valleys Groundwater Conservation Districts. This discussion comes as Redtown Ranch Holdings LLC, based in Anderson County, seeks a permit for 21 high-capacity wells that Crockett City Administrator John Angerstein warns could extract up to 10 billion gallons annually from the Carrizo and Wilcox aquifers. An additional 11 wells proposed in Houston County could drain another 5 billion gallons each year.
To put that in perspective, Angerstein notes that the 21 wells alone would withdraw 52 times the volume of water used annually by the entire City of Crockett, enough to supply a population of 338,000. “Yet none of this water is designated for our communities,” Angerstein said. “It is likely intended to support unchecked development and sprawl in other parts of Texas, presumably in the DFW metroplex or Hill Country, areas that have failed to plan responsibly for their own water needs.” Read the rest of this entry »
LUFKIN — According to our news partner KETK, an East Texas man was arrested in Lufkin on Saturday after officers received reports of gunshots coming from a house. Officers were called to a house in the 400 block of Laurel Avenue after receiving a call from a woman who claimed she and her son had been threatened with being shot by their female neighbor. Once on scene, officers were met by two men at the front door who claimed there were no weapons inside the home.
Subsequently, investigators heard gunshots coming from inside and requested that the men allow them to enter the location. That’s officials they say 32-year-old Courtney Howard of Lufkin, prevented them from entering the house. Officers began to forcibly move Howard out of the way and entered the house to discover a female having a seizure.
They were able to move the female outside, allowing paramedics to attend to her. After the house was cleared, Howard was arrested and charged with interfering with public duties and was taken to Angelina County Jail and is being held on a $2,000 bond.
MARSHALL – As the City of Marshall continues to repair its damaged water transmission line, the city has extended its Stage 1 water shortage.
According to a report from our news partner KETK, the damage to the line was reported on June 25 and was caused after a contractor accidentally struck the line while boring a fiber optic line off State Highway 134. The damaged line was initially installed in 1949 and serves one of two transmission lines that deliver raw water from the pump station to the Caddo Jr. Reservoir.
Permanent repairs to the line are expected to begin on Thursday and are believed to take one to two days. During the repairs, comprehensive testing will be done to ensure there are no leaks in the system. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW – The Longview Police Department is looking for information regarding a shooting on Monday night that led to a teenager being transported to a local hospital, according to our news partner KETK.
The Longview Police Department said officers were dispatched to the 300 block of Debra Drive in Longview around 10:03 p.m. in response to a shooting. Once officers arrived, they found a teenage victim at the scene. The Longview Fire Department took the teenager to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Anyone with more information is asked to contact the Longview Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at 903-237-1199 or the Gregg County Crime Stoppers at 903-236-STOP.
Callers have the option to remain anonymous during the phone call.
UPSHUR COUNTY – An Upshur County drug dealer was sentenced to 35 years in prison after investigators found nearly 50 grams of methamphetamine hidden inside his vehicle in 2024.
According to the Upshur County District Attorney’s Office, on Sept. 25, 2024, the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on 38-year-old Randy Ray Price, who has several previous narcotic-related stops. While searching Price’s vehicle, deputies found a large plastic bag with nearly 50 grams of methamphetamine hidden inside the glove box of the vehicle.
Price pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with the intent to deliver, and was sentenced to 35 years in prison.
HENDERSON COUNTY – Our news partner KETK reports that a Henderson County man was arrested on July 9 after a cyber-tip confirmed he posted videos of child pornography back in March.
According to a Henderson County arrest affidavit, around 8:20 a.m. on March 25, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) submitted a cyber-tip that said user ‘rustywinchester’ had uploaded two videos of minors engaging in sexual conduct.
After a Henderson County Crimes Against Children Investigator viewed the videos, he believed the girl was under the age of 14, but the boy did not reveal his face at any time during the video.
In the document, the user labeled the description of the production as, “rustywinchester is a five feet, 10 inches at 180 to 190 pounds country boy, redneck biker. I’ll try and get a picture in a few minutes.”
The investigator soon found an image that identified the suspect as George Richard Madis Jr., 58 of Murchison, and matched the description. Madis was arrested for possession with intent to promote child pornography on July 9, but posted his $75,000 bond the following day.
CHEROKEE COUNTY – A Rusk man has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, according to a press release from the office of Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs
According to information presented in court, on December 4, 2023, Justin Jones, 37, was seen driving on County Road 2120 in Cherokee County. The Sheriff recognized Jones and attempted to stop him for an outstanding arrest warrant. Jones abandoned his vehicle and fled the scene on foot. A search of the abandoned vehicle revealed Jones was in possession of a cell phone, two rifles, and a pistol. The phone also contained a photo of Jones holding one of the rifles. Jones has several prior felony convictions, including four prior convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm. As a convicted felon, Jones is prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms.
Jones pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle on July 15, 2025.
SMITH COUNTY – A Bullard man was sentenced to 25 years in prison Monday after two young girls told their dad they had been sexually abused in July 2024, according to a report from our news partner KETK.
On Dec. 12, 2024, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office received a transfer case of physical and sexual abuse involving three children from the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office. Smith County officials learned that two sisters, under the age of 10, had been placed with their biological father. The two girls told their father they had been sexually abused in July, and he reported the allegations to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office. Officials also learned that Child Protective Services ordered a Child Safety Check Alert List (CSCAL) for their 3-year-old sibling. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Our news partner KETK reports that an East Texas man is facing additional charges after he allegedly abandoned nine puppies throughout Smith County. The charges come just days after he was arrested for abusing the puppies’ mother.
Bryson Joe Jeffery was first arrested in Tyler on the Fourth of July after he admitted to kicking and hitting his dog with a surge protector power strip. The next day, officers became aware that Jeffrey had abandoned nine recently born puppies across Smith County.
According to the arrest affidavit, the puppies were found in three different locations, including New Copeland Road and Wilma Street. One woman discovered two puppies at her front door and several others around the neighborhood. She took them to a local rescue called Angel Paws, where an employee stated the puppies were newborns and not able to open their eyes yet. Read the rest of this entry »
MARSHALL — According to our news partner KETK, the Marshall City Council recently made changes to traffic patterns near schools to improve student safety and clear up traffic congestion. The council is looking to prevent traffic conflicts in these areas and to enhance safety for all pedestrians. All appropriate signage and roadway markings are now in place at the affected locations, which include: Sanford Street and West Emory Street – intersections is now a four way stop; St. Francis Street and Meadow Street – intersection is now a four way stop and Hollis Taylor Street – street is now one way westbound from Meadow Street to Washington Avenue.
“We want drivers to be aware of these changes before school starts,” Marshall Police Chief Cliff Carruth said. “These updates are designed with community safety in mind, especially for our students and school zones. We appreciate everyone’s attention and cooperation.”
For more information about these road changes, contact the Marshall Police Department at 903-935-4575.
AUSTIN – Continuing the fight against Red Town Ranch holdings’ production permit for 21 high-capacity groundwater wells in Anderson County, Texas, lawmakers are gearing up to hear from experts at Tuesday’s natural resources committee meeting in Austin.
According to our news partner KETK, during the meeting, Harris said he and several Texas lawmakers will hear from over 30 expert witnesses, including industry leaders and local officials, about how this will impact East Texas and its main water supply. Other Texas lawmakers have already shown their support for Harris and his effort to protect the East Texas water supply. State Representative Jay Dean of Longview said in a statement he’s ready to stand shoulder to shoulder with Harris and the rest of East Texas. Meanwhile, state representative Daniel Alders of Tyler said he’s ready to dive deeper into protections that already exist.
Harris said after the committee meeting, he plans to speak to Governor Greg Abbott’s team about future legislation, and to ask if it can be added to the upcoming special session, all in the fight to protect the livelihood of East Texans now and in the future. Read the rest of this entry »
ATHENS — According to our news partner kETK, nine people were arrested in Athens on Sunday for suspected cockfighting after Henderson County authorities found several dead birds. Henderson County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) said they responded to a report of suspected cockfighting near County Road 3918 in Athens. Deputies witnessed around 200 people at the scene with several of them fleeing once they saw law enforcement.
According to HCSO officials, investigators discovered many dead roosters along with evidence that suggested cockfighting transpired at the location. Once a search warrant was obtained, investigators later found a suspected fighting arena and seized various types of evidence from the scene.
“On the premises, investigators uncovered a fighting arena and confiscated sharp metal gaffs (artificial spurs attached to the rooster’s leg) commonly used in illegal cockfighting matches,” HCSO said. “A total of 89 live roosters and two deceased birds were seized from the premises along with 26 vehicles and a large amount of U.S. Currency.” Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – The man who was wanted for stealing hundreds of dollars from Zippy J’s in Tyler after shutting off the store’s power and claiming to have a gun was arrested on Friday.
According to a Smith County arrest warrant affidavit, 25-year-old Trayvonte Deshawn Gates was arrested for the robbery at Zippy J’s after a store employee received a tip on social media about him.
The arrest warrant affidavit said that around 1:05 a.m. Tyler police officers responded to a robbery at Zippy J’s on 1610 S. Vine Avenue. The 911 callers told dispatch that a black man wearing a white shirt, black pants and a black backpack had robbed Zippy J’s and was last seen leaving towards the Bingo Hall.
After officers searched the surrounding area and were unable to find the suspect, they returned to the gas station to talk to store employees. The workers explained to police that around 1 a.m. the lights went off in the store and a black man entered the store a short time later. Read the rest of this entry »
TATUM — Our news partner KETK reports that two Florida suspects have been detained in connection with a string of burglaries at the Tatum Baseball Field parking lot in late June.
Around 7:40 p.m. on June 26, officers were notified that numerous vehicles had been burglarized at the Tatum baseball field parking lot on West Johnson Street. According to the Tatum Police Department by the time officers arrived, the suspects had fled, and attempts to locate them were unsuccessful.
On Saturday, Tatum PD was contacted by the DeSoto Police Department in Dallas County, who said they had initiated a traffic stop on a sedan. After a chase, two passengers were identified and detained. Read the rest of this entry »
AUSTIN – Attorney General Ken Paxton has requested death row inmate Robert Roberson of Palestine, whose execution date was delayed last year after his case became a political lightning rod, be executed on Oct. 16.
A hearing is set for 10 a.m. on Wednesday in the 3rd District Court in Palestine where Smith County District Judge Austin Reeve Jackson will decide whether to proceed with the Paxton’s request.
“There is no justification for the Attorney General’s relentless effort to kill an innocent human being — and no state law or moral law that authorizes seeking an execution date under these circumstances,” Gretchen Sween, Roberson’s attorney, said in a new release last week.
Roberson was convicted of capital murder in 2003 for the death of his 2-year-old daughter Nikki, who was diagnosed with shaken baby syndrome. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – A man was arrested over the weekend after striking a 10-year-old boy in the face multiple times with a closed fist near a Tyler church, our news partner KETK reports.
According to the Smith County arrest affidavit, around 4:37 p.m. on Saturday Tyler Police responded to 2726 Van Highway near Higher Heights Community Baptist Church where several people seemed to be upset and shouting very loudly at each other.
The document said once officers were able to separate the people arguing, they talked to a 10-year-old and his mother who explained Keyshawn Zakievan Jackson, 21, punched the child in the face multiple times.
“The mother of the victim, along with several other witnesses on scene, stated Jackson had struck the 10-year-old in the face with closed fist strikes multiple times,” the affidavit said. “Even Jackson’s sister, who was advocating for him (the child was allegedly being very pestering and shoving Jackson throughout the day), had stated Jackson punched the victim.” Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY – Our news partner KETK reports that a man was arrested early Friday morning after driving his pickup truck through the entrance of a vape shop in Smith County.
According to the Community Outreach Coordinator for Smith County Emergency Services District 2, Nikki Simmons, Battalion 1, Engine 156, and Engine 161 arrived at Just Smoke in Gresham after hearing reports of a vehicle driving through the front of the shop.
Once on the scene, officials observed a Ford pickup inside the building and found the driver outside of the store with no apparent injuries. The driver refused to be transported to the hospital and was arrested by members of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Oncor crews were also on the scene to assess for any substantial electrical damage.
At this time, officials have not released the identity of the driver.
ANDERSON COUNTY – According to our news partner KETK, an arrest affidavit revealed the two East Texas parents that were arrested for child neglect claimed their infant wasn’t getting the proper care because the father is a “naturalist,” meanwhile, detectives discovered bottles filled with mold, maggots covering the trash can and traces of methamphetamine.
On Tuesday, a child abuse and neglect investigation was opened for a six-month-old infant. The report first came from Child Protective Services (CPS) after the infant was taken to an emergency room in Athens on July 3 for a rash by her parents, Devon Langley and Cheyanne McGinty.
“After further inspection by medical staff, they recommended the baby needed to get further medical advice from Children’s Medical Center located in Dallas due to the apparent signs of malnutrition, [the baby] was born at seven pounds, eight ounces on Dec. 24, 2024 and weighed eight pounds as of July 4,” the document said. “Both parents denied transporting the baby to Dallas via ambulance due to the cost of bills and gas.” Read the rest of this entry »
CANTON– After serving for the past 15 years as the chief of the City of Canton Fire Rescue, Bud Sandford announced his retirement on Friday according to our news partner KETK.
Through his 15 years as chief, Sandford has been instrumental in growing the fire department from mostly a team of volunteers to a team of mostly career firefighters. “He will be greatly missed by all the men and women who’ve had the honor to serve alongside him,” City of Canton Fire Rescue said. “Thanks to the solid foundation he’s laid, we’re ready to keep growing and advancing into the future!”
WINONA – Smith County Emergency Services District 2 has confirmed that at least one person has been injured after 2 SUVs crashed into each other on Highway 271.
According to our news partner KETK, the Winona Volunteer Fire Department and Gladewater Fire Department were called out to a crash in the 23,000 block of Highway 271 at around 12:43 p.m. on Friday. At least one person was injured in the crash and had to be transported away by a UT Health EMS helicopter.
The crash reportedly happened when a black SUV and a white SUV collided head-on, injuring at least one person. Firefighters at the scene had to tie off the black SUV to keep it from falling into a ditch. The crash blocked Highway 271 on Friday but first responders are working to clear the roadway.
TYLER – In addition to more than a dozen legislative items set to be discussed in an upcoming special session, select committees will be formed by the state legislature to look into flood issues according to our news partner KETK.
“We are not going to be able to protect Texans from the weather, but we can do our best to communicate, when danger is approaching, and I think that’s going to be the challenge for the legislature coming up,” State Rep. Daniel Alders said. Lt. Dan Patrick and Speaker of the Texas State House, Dustin Burrows will each call nine members to a joint committee to examine flooding warning systems, flood emergency communications, relief funding and recovery.
“The issue is this, we need emergency communication systems in place to be able to let folks know when there’s a natural disaster,” Alders said.
Alders said he believes there are some guidelines that can be put in place for campgrounds to have a way to handle an emergency like a flash flood. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – A Tyler man was sentenced to 35 years in prison on Thursday after a 17-year-old died from a fentanyl overdose in 2022, according to a report from our news partner KETK.
On Thursday, Billy Bernard Maddox, Jr. pleaded guilty to bail jumping, failure to appear and tampering/fabricating physical evidence with the intent to impair. He was then sentenced to 35 years in prison for the overdose death of the Tyler Teen. He was previously charged with manslaughter in 2023, but the charge was dismissed.
On the afternoon of April 23, 2022, Tyler police detectives were called to a local hospital where a patient had died of an apparent overdose, identified as 17-year-old Preston Hawley. He was brought to the hospital wearing pants, a belt, socks, but no shirt, shoes or cell phone, according to court documents. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – A woman who was accused of tampering with evidence following the murder of a 19-year-old in 2024 was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty on Thursday, according to our news partner KETK.
On July 4, 2024, Rawly Sanchez was murdered while driving with his friends in Tyler. In an affidavit, Sanchez and his friends had to do a U-turn. When they turned behind Bautista Auto, the driver reported seeing a person in a building with an AK-47-style rifle who started shooting at them.
Rawly was shot and his friends took him to a local hospital, where he died. Around the same time, a Tyler Police Department officer was driving by Bautista Auto when he saw a white Ford Explorer with bullet holes on the side. When the officer came back later, the Ford was gone, and then Smith County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived on the scene. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — According to our news partner KETK, East Texas lawmakers held a town hall meeting on Thursday to answer voters’ questions about the latest legislative session.
State Senator Bryan Hughes and State Representative Daniel Alders gave a recap of the progress they made down in Austin. They covered hot topics like the addition of the 10 commandments in the classroom, protection against election fraud, and the tragic Hill County flooding. Attendees also heard from the other side of the aisle when members of the political group, Smith County Young Democrats, questioned both lawmakers about Senate Bill 31 and infant and maternal mortality rates in Texas.
“There’s no doubt that the responsibility of the state government is to primarily ensure that Texans are safe, and so we need to make sure that our communities have the communication systems in place,” Alders said.
“We want answers as to why we are continuing to legislate health care instead of letting doctors do their jobs, that conversation should be between a family and a doctor, not our legislators, not our governor, not the us government,” Smith County Young Democrats member, Kristen Hardin-Zigler said. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — The City of Tyler received more than $2 million from the Federal Aviation Administration (FFA) to rebuild an old passenger boarding bridge at Tyler Pounds Regional Airport.
According to a report from our news partner KETK, the project will provide a new jet bridge that can better serve larger aircraft, which could allow the airport to grow in the future. This new bridge will also help expand the airport’s capacity and improve its positioning.
Replacing this part of the airport first came to mind back in December 2023 after the Tyler City Council approved a study from engineers that evaluated the airport’s need for new boarding infrastructure. Some of the equipment was expensive to maintain and replacement parts were becoming harder to find.
The total cost of the project amounts to $2,163,253, with the FAA granting about 95 percent of the funds and the City of Tyler covering the other $108,163, which is funded through the Half Cent Sales Tax.
The Tyler City Council has chosen GEMS Technical Services Incorporated to take care of the bridge’s construction.