East Texas News – Tyler County News

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By Chris EdwardsThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

TYLER COUNTY –  The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is reporting an ongoing investigation of a head-on collision that occurred near the Tyler/Polk County line on Sunday. The collision resulted in a fatality.

The wreck, according to DPS Sgt. Shana Clark, occurred along U.S. Highway 190, just east of the Polk County line, at approximately 7 a.m. The preliminary crash investigation states that a Peterbilt truck tractor semi-trailer was traveling east, while a Volkswagen Jetta was headed west. Clark said that the Peterbilt began to pass multiple vehicles, and struck the Volkswagen head-on, on the shoulder.

Clark said that the driver of the truck tractor, 35-year-old Jesse Alan Budine, of Humble, was not injured. The driver of the Volkswagen, identified as 40-year-old Chad Hare of Jamesville, was transported to Kingwood Medical Center for treatment of life-threatening injuries. 

An 11-month-old child passenger was also transported to Kingwood Medical Center for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. His front passenger, 36-year-old Roselyn Jimenez of Springs, Fl., was pronounced deceased on scene by a Justice of the Peace.

This is an ongoing and active investigation, and no further information is available at this time.

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By Chris EdwardsThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

LUFKIN – The region-wide flooding incidents, which began three weeks ago with various severe weather incidents over a two-day period and again on Sunday, have affected people in Tyler County, as well as other counties within the Deep East Texas Council of Governments (DETCOG) region of service.

Last week, DETCOG announced that it is offering assistance to families affected by flooding within five counties: Tyler; Hardin; Jasper; Shelby and Newton.

All five counties, which are represented by DETCOG, are included within the disaster declaration issued on April 10 by Gov. Greg Abbott.

DETCOG’s Regional Housing Authority is accepting applications, and the organization’s executive director said that due to the disaster declaration, DETCOG is able to speed up the issuance of housing vouchers to those affected.

Hunt said that the DETCOG housing program assists nearly 1,800 families throughout the 12-county region of service, and while there is typically a wait list due to the high demand, the situation allows for expedited service

“We understand the urgency of the situation and are committed to providing swift assistance to those in need,” said Lonnie Hunt, who serves as DETCOG’s executive director. The window for applicants is open until May 31.

He said that applicants in any of the five counties who meet the criteria will “automatically go to the top of the wait list so they can be processed without delay.”

“If they qualify under the HUD income guidelines, we can issue them a voucher quickly.”

Representatives from DETCOG’s housing staff will be present at the Tyler County Nutrition Center, which is located at 201 Veterans Way in Woodville, on Monday, May 6, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

In order to be granted an expedited housing voucher by DETCOG, applicants must provide evidence of a principal residency in one of the five counties, along with documentation attesting that their place of residence is unlivable due to flooding or severe weather damage, along with documentation of household income.

The necessary documentation can include leasing agreements, deeds, voter registration cards, insurance policies or government-issued identification cards.

Anyone who needs to apply, but is unable to apply in person can also contact the DETCOG Regional Housing Authority office at 936-238-7771, ext. 5321.

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By Chris EdwardsThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

KnightWARREN – A Town Bluff man has been charged with murder following an incident last week that resulted in the death of another man.

According to Tyler County Sheriff Bryan Weatherford, 33-year-old Cody Allen Knight, of Town Bluff, is being held on the charge of murder, accused of shooting Earnest Williams, a 35-year-old Woodville man, and causing injuries that eventually resulted in his death.

Weatherford said the incident occurred late last Thursday night, when deputies responded to a call about a shooting that had occurred at a residence on County Road 4770, south of Warren.

The deputies were made aware of a shooting of a man outside of the residence, and upon arriving at the scene, found the victim, Williams, with a gunshot wound to the head.

Williams was taken to a Houston area hospital, where, on Saturday, April 20, he died as a result of the gunshot wound to the head.

“Deputies obtained evidence and statements at the crime scene, which assisted them in obtaining search and arrest warrants from [Pct. 3 Justice of the Peace] Mike Hughes,” Weatherford said.

At 5 a.m. the next morning, deputies were able to execute a search warrant at a residence in Town Bluff, and located and arrested Knight. They also confiscated a .22 caliber rifle.

Initially, Knight was taken into custody and charged with Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, and had his bond set at half a million dollars by Pct. 1 Justice of the Peace Tina Self. On Monday, following Williams’s death, Weatherford said those charges had been upgraded to murder, and his bonds reset to total $1,000,000.

“Tyler County deputies and investigators are continuing to gather evidence and information in this criminal investigation,” Weatherford said.

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By Chris Edwards

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POLK COUNTY – Tyler County authorities are reporting an arrest made recently in a burglary that occurred in March.

According to Tyler County Sheriff Byran Weatherford, deputies with the Tyler County Sheriff’s Office were able to arrest a 51-year-old Leggett man, Shannon A. Bass, as a suspect in a burglary that occurred at a camphouse near Chester.

Weatherford said that deputies has responded to the burglary on March 15. The camphouse was located at the end of Fort Teran Road, on the Neches River, and multiple items were taken from the house, as well as a boat, which was tied to the river bank.

Weatherford said that in the investigation, deputies were able to recover cellphone camera photos of two white male suspects entering and leaving the property, with stolen items, in a newer model Chevrolet Silverado.

“During this investigation, deputies were able to obtain statements and photographs which identitied one of the suspects as [Bass],” Weatherford said.

Bass was arrested in Polk County last week, and transported to the Tyler County Sheriff’s Office, where he was charged with felony burglary of a habitation. In questioning him, deputies were able to obtain a confession, as well as leads on the other, at large suspect.

Bass’s bond was set at $10,000 by pct. 1 Justice of the Peace Tina Self. He has since bonded out of jail.