Today is
Saturday November 30, 2024
EAST TEXAS — Smith County has seen a rash of trail ride shootings. Law enforcement broke down the expectations of Chapter 751 of the Texas Health and Safety Code, also known as The Mass Gathering Act in a town hall meeting Sunday afternoon. According to our news partner KETK, Smith County Constable Josh Joplin shared that just in the last two years alone, more people have lost their lives at the expense of these violations. “I’ve had people shot in the head at these trail rides, I’ve had people shot in the face, I’ve had people shot in the leg… I mean gunplay is a serious issue with this as well.†Constable Joplin said. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY — Officials said five are dead after a two-vehicle crash on Smith County Road 48 and Highway 110 North caused traffic detours for hours. According to our news partner KETK, officials with DPS said the call came in around 5 a.m. Friday, and all passengers from both cars involved are dead. There were two passengers in a Chevy Tahoe and three in a Dodge Charger which caught fire at the scene. The passengers of the Dodge Charger were identified as 23-year-old Matthew Reneaux, of Henderson, 26-year-old Jennifer Felix, of Tyler, and 38-year-old Marvin Jenkins, Jr., of Tyler. The passengers of the Chevy Tahoe were identified as 39-year-old Gabriel Salamanca and one juvenile, whose name was not disclosed, both of Mexico. Read the rest of this entry »
RUSK COUNTY — Danielle Harrison is working to become an Eagle Scout, but to do that she had to come up with a project. She saw there was a need for a K9 training course in East Texas. According to our news partner KETK, right now, officers have to travel to Dallas at their own expense to train their K9s. That’s why Danielle Harrison chose to make one in Rusk County for her project. “I found out we don’t have training facility for police K9s in East Texas. So, I decided that I would just make one,†said Harrison, Eagle Scout candidate. “Since there isn’t anything like this, it’s going to be great especially to fill up training days. We have to do so much training every month and so this will be a good thing to add to our training. Some variety and also fun for the dogs too,†said Lucrecia Davidson, K9 officer. Read the rest of this entry »
SAN ANTONIO (AP) – Two men have been indicted in the case of a tractor-trailer rig found with 53 dead or dying migrants inside in San Antonio. A statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in San Antonio says 46-year-old Homero Zamorano Jr., of Pasadena, and 28-year-old Christian Martinez (pictured), of Palestine, were indicted Wednesday on counts of transporting and conspiring to transport migrants illegally resulting in death; and transporting and conspiring to transport migrants illegally resulting in serious injury. The incident happened on a remote San Antonio back road on June 27. Conviction on the death counts could result in life sentences. But the Attorney General’s Office could authorize prosecutors to seek death penalties.
SMITH COUNTY — A 91-year-old Tyler man has been found guilty of arson and sentenced to life in prison. According to our news partner KETK, Kermit Francis Gabel was found guilty of setting fire to an abandoned home on South Beckham Avenue in 2020 after a series of vacant buildings caught fire at the time. Gabel was indicted in 2021, and has been in jail since 2020 for his charge of arson and a parole violation. His bond was set at $250,000. Gabel had previously been given parole for life after a previous Texas conviction in the 1980s. A judge once said that Gabel “made a living stealing other people’s property.†Accused of multiple crimes in Ohio, Gabel was dubbed the “Silver Burglar†with crime sprees dating back to the 1940s.
NATCHITOCHES PARISH, La. — A 24-year-old Longview woman died on her first day on the job working at an archaeological site, and officials say the cause could be heat-related. According to our news partner KETK, Kaylen Eileen Gehrke, formally of Missoula, Montana, recently moved to Longview to be closer to family as she advanced her career with Shreveport Cultural Resource Analysts, officials said. She graduated from high school in 2016 in Colorado and earned a bachelor’s degree in forensic anthropology and a minor in Spanish-English bilingual from the University of Montana. Read the rest of this entry »
COFFEE CITY — A Tyler man was arrested on Saturday in Coffee City after bystanders said he crashed into two cars outside of a Dollar General. According to our news partner KETK, officers who responded to the scene arrested Donald Burns, 54, for driving while intoxicated third or more. After further investigation, Coffee City Police located an empty bottle of Wild Turkey whiskey, and two empty Budweiser beer cans in Burns’ truck. No injuries were reported from the incident. Police reported that Burns truck left Highway 155 at a high rate of speed before colliding with two trucks, and missed several propane tanks by a few feet. “The force of the crash sent the last vehicle into the wall of the store and even knocked merchandise off the shelves inside,†police said. Officials said that bystanders told dispatch that Burns was attempting to leave the scene, and police were able to respond before he left. Due to his five previous convictions, Burns was arrested for driving while intoxicated third or more classified as a third degree felony.
TYLER — Fire officials said the fire at the Broadway Square Mall on Tuesday started as a dumpster fire outside Dillard’s. The dumpster was filled with cardboard boxes and trash. According to our news partner KETK, the fire was reported around 1:20. When firefighters first arrived they saw visible flames. The dumpster fire traveled to a section of the roof, but no major damages were reported. Officials said there was no organized evacuation, some people exited Dillard’s on their own.
SMITH COUNTY — A Smith County jury convicted Livingstone Zitha, 52, South Africa, for felony theft from a local church. Zitha was charged with scamming a Tyler area church into providing love offerings of several thousand dollars for his ministry. Smith County prosecutors resented evidence that Zitha claimed to pastor a 5000 member church in Johannesburg, South Africa and that he ran a large orphanage. According to Zitha’s promotional materials, a donation of $250 would allow his ministry to feed a child for one year. While Zitha was described as a captivating personality and dynamic preacher, none of the money he raised ever made it to any ministry. Read the rest of this entry »
GREGG COUNTY — Arrest warrants for 25-year-old Davadius Thomas of Longview for Capital Murder and Aggravated Assault with a deadly weapon along with several traffic warrants have been served by Longview Police Detectives. Thomas has been booked into the Gregg County Jail with bonds totaling approximately $1.25 million. On July 1 around 11:50p.m., Longview Police were dispatched to a home on Queens Court in reference to a welfare check. When officers arrived on the scene, they discovered a male subject identified as 30-year-old Kenny McFarland Jr, who had sustained an apparent gunshot wound. McFarland was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
EAST TEXAS — North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority (NET RMA) is putting construction on hold on Toll 49 from July 1st to July 4th in observation of the Independence Day holiday. Evening construction will resume on July 5th at 9:00 pm and will continue through 7:00 am until the overlay is complete.
KILGORE — A third person is facing capital murder charges in the death of a pregnant Kilgore woman in 2016 and setting her on fire, according to Kilgore Police and the Kilgore News Herald. Edward Brager, 22, was indicted by a Smith County grand jury in its June 9 session on charges of capital murder of multiple persons in the disappearance and death of Sheryia Grant, 20, who was eight months pregnant when she was reported missing in August 2016. Her body has never been found. He is the third person charged with capital murder in Grant’s death. Allen Lamont Sutton Jr., 33, of Kilgore, and Laneshia Lashae Young, 29, of Overton, were indicted in December 2021 on charges of capital murder of multiple persons. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY — All non-emergency Smith County offices will be closed for business on Monday, July 4, 2022, for the Fourth of July holiday. Offices will reopen for normal business hours on Tuesday, July 5. Smith County Commissioners Court will be held at its regular time – 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday in the Smith County Courthouse Annex, located at 200 E. Ferguson Street in Tyler.
TYLER — A man who was charged in connection with the deaths of 53 people in a tractor-trailer in San Antonio was arrested in Palestine on Tuesday and appeared in court in Tyler on Wednesday, according to our news partner KETK. Christian Martinez, 28, was charged with one count of conspiracy to transport undocumented migrants resulting in death, according to a release from the United States Department of Justice. In San Antonio, officials also arrested 45-year-old Homer Zamorano Jr., and charged him for his alleged involvement in the same incident. If convicted, the men could face up to life in prison or the death penalty. Read the rest of this entry »
FLINT — As the Fourth of July approaches, 13 counties have burn bans in place– some even going as far as to cancel firework shows. According to our news partner KETK, local firework stand owners say despite the burn bans being placed into effect, they continue to have a steady flow of business. “We’re hoping it doesn’t come into effect. We had some rain yesterday and we are supposed to get some rain more this week,†said the owner of Texas Triple Threat Fireworks, Steve Kipp. A family business of over 20 years says they donate some of their proceeds to The Flint Fire Department, The Community Center, and SPCA of East Texas. Read the rest of this entry »