Today is
Sunday November 24, 2024
TYLER – A Friday morning shots fired call in Tyler has led to a 22-year-old being charged with six counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. According to our news partner KETK, Chandler Haught of Tyler was arrested after authorities arrived to the scene at a First Street residence. Multiple adults and children were escorted from the home. The case is being forwarded to the Smith County District Attorney’s Office and no injuries were reported.
EAST TEXAS – Looking for somewhere to celebrate the 4th of July? Our news partners at KETK have put together a list of events and firework shows being held across the area. You can find that list here.
SMITH COUNTY – According to our news partner KETK, a Collin County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) investigation has led to a Smith County minor being arrested in connection to multiple bomb threats made to East Texas Brookshire’s stores and other locations nationwide. The suspect was also reportedly linked to bomb threats at schools in the Tyler area, Cy-Fairbanks ISD near Houston and Mission ISD. The suspect’s activities also reportedly spanned across Arkansas, Louisiana, West Virginia, North Carolina, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Tennessee and Wisconsin. The CCSO said investigators identified over 100 locations targeted by the hoaxes. The investigation was assisted by the Tyler Police Department, Smith County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI.
TYLER — Two suspects wanted in a Mississippi murder were arrested in Tyler Friday. According to tour news partner KETK and the Vicksburg Post, Devonte Gary, 27, died after being shot on June 6 in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace reportedly said that four people were arrested in connection to the shooting. Willie Johnson, 24, and Wilmar Johnson, 23, were arrested in Tyler on Friday, according to Smith Jail records.
Wilmar Johnson has been charged with murder and drive by shooting, with bond set at $6 million. Willie Johnson has been charged with murder, with bond set at $1 million.
Pace reportedly said that two other men, Calbert “Calbo†Cosby, 22, and Jermaine “Bones†Johnson, 45, were both arrested in Memphis on Friday in connection to the shooting. Pace reportedly said that the shooting was targeted and not random.
TYLER – Unofficial results show that Petra Hawkins has defeated Stephen Dinger and Dexter Floyd in a Tyler City Council District 2 runoff election. Hawkins won with 52.7% and 508 votes to Stephen Dinger’s 47.30% and 456 votes.
HENDERSON, Texas – Yet another east Texas school district will be searching for a new superintendent as the Henderson ISD announced that Dr. Thurston Lamb is reportedly resigning from his position as Henderson ISD superintendent according to a meeting agenda and our news partners at KETK. Lamb joined the district as superintendent back in 2019 and previously worked at school districts in Garland, Richardson, DeSoto, Duncanville, Plano and Crowley. In 2022, he was named the Region 7 superintendent of the year. No reason or motive was immediately given regarding Dr. Lamb’s resignation.
ATHENS – An Athens man has been sentenced to 60 years in state prison after he was found guilty of murder for a 2021 Frankston hostage situation. According to our news partner KETK, Marco Matthew Gonzales, 38, was shot and killed on the front porch of a home near County Road 309 before Robert Mason Eckert, 38, retreated inside and took hostages. Eckert was then arrested after the hostage situation was brought to an end safely. Later, he was indicted on charges of capital murder, aggravated kidnapping with a deadly weapon, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
UPSHUR COUNTY, Texas – After allegedly scamming an elderly Upshur County resident out of more than $70,000, a man was arrested on Wednesday by officials. According to our news partner KETK, 85-year-old man was contacted on June 9 by someone claiming to be with the Securities and Exchange Commission and was coerced to pay them after being told about multiple warrants. The Upshur County Sheriffs Office said in a statement that the vitim paid $70,000 to Davan Patel, 38 of Melissa, who was arrested after going to the victim’s home to collect the money. Patel was taken to the Upshur County Jail and was charged with theft against the elderly with bond set at $1 million.
WHITE OAK, Texas – Our news partners at KETK report that after almost a year at the position, White Oak ISD superintendent William Paul has resigned. According to a release from the district and a Friday afternoon board meeting, Paul and the district reached an agreement that allowed Paul to “pursue other interests.†The district also said the search for his replacement will begin soon.
TYLER – Officials from the City of Tyler have announced multiple road closures for this weekend’s Juneteenth Parade which is slated to begin at 9 a.m. Saturday. The parade will start at the intersection of Glenwood Boulevard and Martin Luther King Jr.(MLK) Boulevard traveling east on MLK until it reaches North Border Avenue. It will end at the intersection of 32nd Street and North Broadway Avenue. The city also provided a map of the parade’s route and a list of road closures which can he found here: Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – According to our news partner KETK, in January, Krystle Medeiros, 38 of Tyler, was driving on the wrong side of the roadway causing a head-on crash. Both Medeiros and her 9-year-old daughter were taken to the hospital where her daughter later died from her injuries. A subpoena for Medeiros’ medical records showed her blood alcohol content (BAC) was 0.35. The legal limit in Texas is 0.08. Medeiros was originally charged with intoxication manslaughter but a grand jury indicted her with murder on March 28. She’s being held at the Smith County Jail on a bond totaling $250,000.
WHITEHOUSE – City of Whitehouse Mayor James Wansley announced that a disaster declaration has been issued after June 3rd storms ravaged the area. According to a release, the declaration allows “[…] staff to access additional resources as needed to address the challenges associated with the storms and allows staff to take necessary measures to protect public safety while coordinating emergency response efforts.” The city urges citizens to follow their social media platforms for any updates and to contact electric service providers to report any power outages. The city also announced that residents can also utilize the Greenwood Farms Landfill for free once a month by showing a copy of their most recent City of Whitehouse water bill to dispose of limbs and other brush.
TYLER – A man accused of attempting to kidnap and rape a woman running at the Rose Rudman Park in 2019 was sentenced to life in prison on Friday. According to our news partner KETK, an unidentified woman was running at Tyler’s Rose Rudman Park when she noticed James Earl Roberts Jr. She believed he looked suspicious and ran away. Officials say Roberts reportedly tackled her, put his hands over her face and dragged her into the woods.
UPSHUR COUNTY – The Union Hill ISD, located 9 miles northwest of Gilmer, has recently announced that the district will be making $700,000 in cuts in an attempt to recover from financial hardships. According to our news partner KETK, interim superintendent John Booth in a video, that can be found here, said the district faced “close to a $1 million in deficits back in February.” Multiple employees have been cut including multiple fine arts and athletic programs at the high school, junior high and elementary levels. Booth also stated that there were no signs of money stolen or any other signs of financial malpractice.
SMITH COUNTY – Romanian national Alin Nistor was given 12 years in prison on three separate charges of fraudulent use of debit card information, food stamp fraud, and theft of property. He was sentenced by Judge Reeve Jackson in the 114th District Court on Thursday, May 16, 2024. Nistor and his wife were identified by the Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center to be connected to a large organized crime ring of other Romanian nationals committing fraud across the country. According to a release and an investigation headed by the Tyler Police Department, a traffic stop resulted in officials finding “345 large cans of baby formula in their car” with the intent to resell and several Lone Star welfare cards and gift cards that had modified information from California residents. Evidence was also presented of Nistor’s wife stealing over $5,000 worth of printer ink cartridges from a Walmart weeks prior.