Today is
Saturday June 13, 2026
CHEROKEE COUNTY — State Troopers responded to a single vehicle crash Sunday morning that left two people dead. It happened around 6:00 on FM-235 in Cherokee County. Troopers said a GMC Yukon was traveling west at an unsafe speed and failed to negotiate a curve. The vehicle left the roadway, over-corrected and rolled several times. Both occupants were ejected. The driver, Uriel Torres, 20, of Cedar Creek, and passenger Jose Arredondo, 22, of Jacksonville, were pronounced dead at the scene. They were not wearing seatbelts. The crash remains under investigation.
SMITH COUNTY — Two East Texas men have been killed in a head-on collision Friday night. It happened around 10:15 on FM 1253 at County Road 455, about 6.5 miles northeast of Van. According to the DPS report, John Hunt, 39, of Big Sandy, was traveling southbound on FM 1235 when he drove onto the wrong side of the roadway. He collided with an oncoming vehicle driven by Timothy Pickens, 55, of Van. Both drivers were killed. The crash remains under investigation.
TYLER — After months of often tense discussion, Tyler’s Robert E. Lee High School may have a new name by the end of Monday’s TISD board meeting. The agenda includes two items related to the topic. In an item for discussion only, board members will first hear an update on the costs of such a move. No details are provided yet, with information to be presented at the meeting. Then trustees are due to consider amending the school’s name to Lee High School. Under the heading of “administrative recommendation,” there’s a single sentence: “The administration recommends the board resolve this issue.” The topic was initially removed last month from the June 7 board agenda, but it’s under consideration once more following outcries from those both for and against the change.
ANDERSON COUNTY — A female inmate was found dead inside the Anderson County Jail on Friday evening. According to our news partner KETK, a white female, age 50, died of an apparent medical condition. An autopsy has been ordered. The Anderson County Sheriff’s Office requested an independent investigation by Texas Rangers.
TYLER — Smith County authorities say 34-year-old Sean Waite of Murchison is jailed on a murder charge and more after leading deputies on a motorcycle chase Thursday night. Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Darrell Coslin says Waite was being pursued by Tyler police on Highway 31 West towards Toll 49 when deputies picked up the chase. Coslin says Waite and 28-year-old passenger Alicia Ann Adams were ejected after the motorcycle crashed at the intersection of Highway 31 West and FM 2661. According to Coslin, Waite was captured after a short foot chase, but Adams was pronounced dead at the scene. Bond for Waite is $961,000 on charges of murder, evading arrest, theft of property, and Credit card abuse out of Denton County.
TYLER — Tyler police have arrested four suspects in an assault case at the Stone Creek Apartments on Hollytree Drive. Officer Don Martin says police responded around 1:20 Friday morning to multiple shots fired in the parking lot near the pool. They found that no one was struck but that a vehicle and two apartment buildings were hit by the gunfire. Officers also recovered an AR-15 and pistol at the scene. Officers were told a security guard was trying to break up an assault by two females against a third female. A large group had gathered in the area. The guard ran for cover behind a vehicle after being threatened by two men with guns. Martin says several shots were then fired by the men in the direction of the guard who had taken cover behind the vehicle that was struck by gunfire. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY — A Texas regulatory agency has recommended Smith County Constable Henry Jackson have his peace officer licenses suspended for 10 years. Jackson is appealing the decision. According to our news partner KETK, the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) alerted Jackson to the pending suspension in May. TCOLE Government Relations Director Gretchen Grigsby confirmed the appeal. The appeal will be heard by an administrative law judge who will make a recommendation to TCOLE commissioners. Jackson holds a reserve officer license and peace officer license. Both have been placed on a hold. In April, the constable finished serving a 6-month sentence in federal prison for four counts of willful failure to file federal income tax returns.
GREGG COUNTY — Longview Police are investigating a shooting at a motel. According to our news partner KETK, police received a call around 10:30 Tuesday night reporting shots fired at the Motel 6 on South Access Road. A disturbance between a tenant at the motel and another party who was not staying there resulted in gunfire. No injuries reported and no arrests have been made.
UPSHUR COUNTY — An East Texas man has pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and one count of indecency with a child. Testimony in the sentencing phase for Mark Randall Beasley, 59, of Diana, is expected to begin June 21 in the 115th District Court. According to our news partner KETK, Beasley is facing up to life in prison on each offense of aggravated sexual assault of a child and 2-20 years for the indecency with a child offense. He can also be assessed a fine of up to $10,000.00 for each offense.
UPSHUR COUNTY — A Gilmer man has been sentenced to prison for selling drugs near an East Texas high school. According to our news partner KETK, Austin Keith Wolfe, 32, of Gilmer, was scheduled to go to trial for selling meth across from Gilmer High School as part of a three-person crime ring. Prior to jury selection in Upshur County Monday morning, he entered into a plea agreement with the state. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison and waived his right to appeal. Ashley Nicole Grubbs, 20, of Gilmer, pleaded guilty to the same charge in February and was sentenced to 40 years.
TYLER — Authorities have arrested the second suspect in connection to a shooting at Fun Forest Park. On Friday afternoon, June 8, officers received a tip on the location of Davonta Hill, 25, of Tyler. Officers located Hill in a house on W. Claude Street in Tyler. He was booked into the Smith County Jail on two charges of aggravated assault causing bodily injury and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. His bond was set at $1.5 million. Read the rest of this entry »
NACOGDOCHES — A Nacogdoches man has been arrested for multiple charges after entering a residence where he did not live early Saturday morning. Joe Howard Jr., 38, was charged with possession of a controlled substance, criminal trespass of a habitation and resisting arrest. According to our news partner KETK, Howard allegedly entered a home on CR 805 around 1:45 a.m. and got into bed with the homeowners. The homeowners immediately called 911 and also asked Howard what he was doing inside their residence. He said he lived there. A deputy arrived and found Howard sitting on the couch in the living room. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW — No injuries reported after a small plane crashed in a Longview neighborhood. According to the DPS report, the accident happened just after 7:30 this morning in the Mission Creek subdivision, between Airline Road and East Loop 281. The pilot has been identified as Randall Coggin, 74, of Longview, who advised that he had made repairs to the plane and was testing it when he experienced engine failure and made a hard landing. The aircraft took off from a private runway approximately two miles from the crash site. Coggin and his passenger Coby Melvin, 67, of Longview, were treated and released at the scene. Officials from the NTSB and FAA are en route to the scene for further investigation.
SMITH COUNTY — A woman is wanted by the Smith County Sheriff’s Office for questioning in a burglary of a habitation investigation. According to our news partner KETK, officials are searching for Kashira D. Ochoa, 32. Ochoa is described as 5’1″, around 125 pounds, brown hair and brown eyes. If you have any information pertaining to the location of Ochoa, contact the SCSO at 903-566-6600 or Tyler Police Department at 903-531-1000. If you have recently purchased items from Ochoa, please contact the detective assigned to the case at 903-590-2784.
GREGG COUNTY — Jury selection set for Tuesday in Gregg County has been canceled, the District Clerk’s Office reported. According to the Longview News-Journal, residents who received a summons to report Tuesday may disregard it. Their names will be reshuffled into the database for future jury service.