Today is
Monday June 08, 2026
TYLER — A Tyler man was arrested early Friday morning and accused of hitting a woman and another vehicle with his car. According to our news partner KETK, 25-year-old Devonte Crawford-Milton was taken into custody by the Smith County Sheriff’s Department for outstanding warrants. Tyler police say Crawford-Milton was allegedly driving recklessly and struck another car along with a woman in the parking lot of Fuzzy’s Taco Shop on Troup Highway. The woman suffered minor injuries from the crash. Investigators say Crawford-Milton drove out of the city but was later arrested by Smith County deputies. He has a lengthy criminal history with three convictions for theft and two for assault. He was out on bond awaiting trial for a charge of evading arrest. Crawford-Milton still remains in jail, and detectives said they are working to charge him with aggravated assault for the incident at Fuzzy’s.
SMITH COUNTY — A Smith County jury sentenced Yoelvis Herrera, 33, of Houston, to 65 years in prison and $5,000 fine on Wednesday for the offense of Unlawful Interception of an Electronic Communication. Prosecutors presented evidence that on December 4, 2019, financial crimes detectives with the Tyler Police Department located a credit card skimmer inside a pump at a local gas station. The skimmer was removed and surveillance was set up at the pump. On December 8, 2019, detectives observed the defendant open the gas pump door and look inside for the skimmer. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY — A 70-year-old woman was killed after she failed to control her speed at a red light which resulted in a five-vehicle crash, according to our news partner KETK and the Texas Department of Public Safety. On Monday around 1:20 p.m. DPS troopers were called to the five-vehicle crash about two and a half miles west of Tyler in Smith County. According to DPS, Mary Grooms, 70, of Murchison, was driving a 2007 Infiniti G35 westbound on State Highway 31 in the inside lane approaching a red light. Read the rest of this entry »
AUSTIN — A Tyler man has been renominated by Gov. Greg Abbott to be the presiding officer of the North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority. It will be for another two-year term that will run through February 1, 2024. According to our news partner KETK, the RMA is a political subdivision that was created to “finance, acquire, design, construct, operate, maintain, and expand or extend transportation projects in 14 counties in North East Texas,†according to a press release from Abbott’s office. Gary Halbrooks is the CEO of Venue Properties, a real estate company involved “in the brokerage, development, investment, and management of commercial real estate throughout the southwestern and southeastern United States,†per their website. Read the rest of this entry »
WHITEHOUSE — A Whitehouse ISD bus was involved in a wreck Wednesday morning, according to the district’s Facebook page. Our news partner KETK reports, the wreck was on Highway 69 just south of FM 346, which is roughly seven miles west of the high school campus. First responders were called to the scene, but no students were taken to the hospital. The district said that no serious injuries were reported. A separate bus picked up the students and brought them to their campuses.
RUSK COUNTY — The Rusk County Sheriff’s Office arrested two people, seized drugs, a firearm, 17 electronic gaming machines and gambling paraphernalia from the “Susie Q†game room on County Road 3291 in Garrison during an evidentiary search warrant. According to our news partner KETK, on Monday, RCSO executed a search warrant based on allegations of illegal gambling. During the search, they recovered 17 electronic gaming machines, gambling paraphernalia believed to be associated with keeping a gambling place, suspected “crack cocaineâ€, suspected marijuana, money and a firearm. Read the rest of this entry »
MARSHALL — Authorities say a Harrison County man, 38-year-old Brandon Phillips, has been found safe after going missing. According to our news partner KETK, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office had been asking for the public’s help in locating Philllips. A truck belonging to Phillips was found near Hallsville and investigators say that it was found “in a manner that [they] believe he left the location on foot.†Officials did not say how long Phillips had been missing.
TYLER — No students were injured after a Tyler ISD bus crashed early Thursday morning. According to our news partner KETK, Tyler ISD Chief Communications Officer Jennifer Hines said the bus hit a pole at Old Jacksonville Highway and Rice Road. There were some high school students on board, but no injuries were reported. A release from the school said Bus 34 was involved and that Bus 42 was also delayed as they were offering assistance and took the students to Tyler Legacy. Records show that the call about the crash came into first responders around 7:40 a.m. All students were safe and in school by 8:30 a.m.
TYLER — Tyler police continue to investigate a double homicide and apparent suicide following a shooting at the LaQuinta Inn on south Broadway Tuesday night. According to Public Information Officer Andy Erbaugh, just before 10pm, officers were called to the hotel following reports of shots fired. Officers found Grasiela De Paz Rodriguez, 34, and Alvaro Israel Martinez, 23, both of Tyler, shot multiple times in their car. Witnesses said they saw the gunman flee the scene after the shooting. Investigators tracked the alleged shooter to a home near Smith County city limits. The alleged suspect, identified as Javier Estrada, 30, of Tyler, was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Erbaugh said Rodriguez and Estrada had children together but were estranged at the time of the homicide.
TYLER — Tyler police are investigating a double homicide and apparent suicide following a shooting at the LaQuinta Inn on south Broadway Tuesday night. According to Public Information Officer Andy Erbaugh, just before 10pm, officers were called to the hotel following reports of shots fired. Officers found a Hispanic man and woman shot multiple times in their car. Witnesses said they saw the gunman flee the scene after the shooting. Investigators tracked the alleged shooter to a home outside Smith County city limits and found the alleged suspect dead with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Erbaugh said that all names of those involved are being withheld pending family notification.
LONGVIEW — The Longview ISD Board of Trustees is calling for a $227 million bond election to address various facility needs and campus improvements, according to a release. According to our news partner KETK, the Longview ISD Board of Trustees approved the election order for four bond propositions during their Feb. 14 regular meeting. If approved by voters on May 7, the propositions will fund significant renovations to the Longview High School campus, a new Career & Technical Education facility, an Extracurricular Events Center, a new Early Childhood campus, and various other repairs and facility updates. Read the rest of this entry »
MARSHALL — Marshall police are investigating a homicide after a teenager was fatally shot in the city on Saturday. According to our news partner KETK, officials received calls on Feb. 12 that a person was shot at City Park at 200 Pope St. Marshall police and paramedics arrived at the scene and found a 16-year-old boy with a gunshot wound to his neck. The teenager was later pronounced dead at the location. The Marshall Police Department’s Criminal Investigators and Crime Scene Detectives began a homicide investigation. Detectives worked all night and continue to look into the incident. No arrests have been made. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Two more suspects in the catalytic converter thefts from January 28th in Tyler have been identified, and one has been arrested. Police say Andre Tyrell Pete, 25, has been arrested in the Houston area and booked into the Harris County Jail. He will be transported back to Smith County. Both suspects are from Houston; Darius Reggie, 20, is still wanted. Both face charges of aggravated assault of a public servant, engaging in organized criminal activity, evading arrest/detention and 4 counts of theft of material. DeAnthony Brown, who is already in jail, had five more charges added: engaging in organized criminal activity with a $250,000 bond and 4 counts of theft of material. If you have any information, call Tyler police at 903-531-1000 or Tyler-Smith County Crime Stoppers at 903-597-2833. Read the rest of this entry »
HENDERSON COUNTY — A Chandler man who was indicted for his involvement in a 2020 fatal crash was sentenced 12 years to prison. According to our news partner KETK, Brandon Taylor Collins, 20, was arrested for three counts of intoxication manslaughter after he allegedly drove drunk and crashed into an East Texas couple that was expecting their first child together on Oct. 25, 2020. 23-year-old LeAnna Hester was driving south on FM 315, near Coffee City when she was struck head-on by Collins, said DPS. Hester who was expecting was pronounced dead at the scene, and Blake Stanford, 24, who was in Hester’s car was taken to a local hospital in Tyler where he later died. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY — A Tyler man was indicted by a Smith County grand jury for sex trafficking. According to our news partner KETK, Brandon Lee Johnson, 26, was indicted on the following charges: continuous trafficking of persons, sexual assault of a child and compelling prostitution under age of 18. The Tyler man was arrested on June 3, 2021. He was found with a minor who was a victim of sex trafficking, said the office of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The United States Marshal’s Task Force in Tyler made the arrest. Johnson’s arraignment hearing is planned for Feb. 11.