Smith County Grand Jury indicts 67 people on 81 charges, 4 indicted for fleeing the scene and failing to render aid at vehicle crashes

Published 1:48 pm Monday, November 20, 2017

LOUANNA CAMPBELL, lcampbell@tylerpaper.com

The Smith County District Attorney’s Office released the results of the latest sessions of the Smith County Grand Jury. True bills dispositions were made on 67 people on 81 felony charges. 



The indictments include three men and one woman indicted on charges stemming from vehicle crashes in which they fled the scenes and didn’t render aid. 

Courtney Lauren Stovall, 28, of Dallas is accused of driving while under the influence of drugs on Feb. 25. She allegedly rear-ended a GMC Yukon on Interstate-20, causing it to go over an embankment. She then left the scene, the report reads.

A Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Report said Sovall was driving a Dodge Ram pickup when she crashed into the rear of the Yukon causing its driver and four passengers to go down an embankment and roll over several times eventually coming to a stop on its top.

The crash report said Stovall stopped at the scene, but drove away because she believed the other vehicle had driven away from the crash site.

Stovall drove about 7.5 miles east to Exit 587, in Gregg County where she exited I-20 and went to a convenience store in Kilgore when her vehicle would no longer run, according to the crash report.

The 42-year-old driver was airlifted to a Longview hospital with incapacitating injuries. A 22-year-old passenger was ejected from the vehicle and taken to a Longview hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Three children also were in the vehicle, a 1-year-old, a 10-year-old and a 14-year-old, according to the crash report. Two of the children were partially ejected from the vehicle. All were taken to a Longview hospital for their injuries.  

The Kilgore Police Department arrested Stovall from driving under the influence in the parking lot of the convenience store, the report reads.

She was arrested June 26 in Smith County following a crash investigation.

Stovall was indicted for two third-degree felonies – causing an accident involving injury and driving while intoxicated third or more. 

A 37-year-old Tyler man also was indicted for fleeing the scene of an Sept. 3, 2016 one-vehicle crash that caused injuries.

A Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Report said Rocky Lawrence Gilpin and a 34-year-old passenger were traveling south on County Road 379 when he steered off the roadway, which caused his Ford F-150 pickup to overturn. 

The pickup came to a rest on its right side and was inoperable. Gilpin fled the scene on foot, leaving the injured passenger inside the vehicle, according to the crash report. 

Gilpin was arrested Feb. 2 and booked into the Smith County jail, according to jail records. He was released Feb. 13 after posting a $50,000 bond. 

A 19-year-old Whitehouse man was indicted for a Dec. 12, 2016 crash.

Cody Melton Hall was arrested by the Tyler Police Department after he fled the scene of a crash in the 1700 block of South Beckham Avenue, according to a Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Report. 

The report said Hall rear-ended a 62-year old woman while she was stopped in the south lane waiting for a vehicle to turn into a private drive.

Hall was arrested Dec. 12 and booked into the Smith County jail, according to jail records. He was released on Dec. 13 when he posted his $5,000 bond.

A 25-year-old Jacksonville man was indicted for leaving the scene of a June 23 two-vehicle crash in the intersection of Loop 323 and Paluxy Drive.

Ramiro Suarez failed to yield the right of way on Loop 323 to a 21-year-old man making a left hand turn from Puluxy Drive onto Loop 323, according to a Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Report. 

The crash report said Suarez fled the scene on foot after the two vehicles collided in the intersection. The driver of the other vehicle was taken to the hospital after he had to be extracted from the vehicle, according to the report. 

When police located Suarez, he was intoxicated, the report reads.

Suarez was booked into the Smith County jail on June 24, according to jail records. He was released the same day after posting a $10,000 bond. 

Other indictments include three men for charges stemming from their roles in an organized crime ring that placed credit card skimming devices on gas pumps in Tyler and Smith County. 

Yoslays Garcia-Torres, 34, of Chennelview, Nelson Lemus-Torres, 24, of Houston and Daykel Madruga-Cartay, 24, of Channelview are being held in the Smith County jail on bonds of $1 million for first-degree felony charges of engaging in organized criminal activity. Madruga-Cartay has an additional charge of fraudulent use or possession of identifying information, a state jail felony

The charges in the most recent set of indictments include 33 state-jail felonies, 30 third-degree felonies, 10 second-degree felonies and 8 first-degree felonies.

Other indicted Nov. 2 include: 

– Victor Acosta, 33, of Tyler, possession of a controlled substance in penalty group 1 weighing less than 1 gram 

– Ernest Dewayne Barrington, 44, of Lindale, manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance in penalty group 1 weighing more than 4 grams but less then 200 grams and unlawful possession of a fiream by a felon 

– Keonaa Shanoe Bass, 32, of Tyler, credit card or debit card abuse

– Michael Joe Boatman, 62, of Tyler,  burglar of a habitation 

– Cortez Cooper, 34, of Tyler, driving while intoxicated third or more 

– loyd Gregory Dixon, 48, of Tyler, burglary of habitation 

– Robert Earl Gamble, 61, of Tyler, possession of a controlled substance in penalty group 1 weighing less than 1 gram 

– Randal James Halber, 46, of Van, theft of property valued at $2,500 but less than $30,000 

– Brandi Rae Hanks, 43, of Tyler, theft of property valued less than $2,500 with two or more previous convictions  

– Charley Ray Hawkins, 49, of Tyler, evading arrest and aggravated assault against a public servant

– Michael Keith Holt, 41, of Whitehouse, theft of property under $2,500 with two or more previous convictions  

– Jeswendlapryl Dwontavion Horn, 27, of Longview, theft of material aluminum, bronze, copper or brass under $20,000  

– Pamala Jean Horton, 45, of Tyler, possession of a controlled substance in penalty group 1 weighing less than 1 gram 

 -Gabriel Martin Jackson, 32, of Whitehouse, credit card or debit card abuse of an elderly person 

– Robert Wayne Jones II, 27, of Tyler, fraud use or possession of less than 5 pieces of indentifyihg information

– Terrance Dwight Jones, 35, of Tyler, selling stolen regulated materials and theft of material aluminum, bronze, copper or brass under $20,000 

– Tommy Dewayne Jordan, 28, of Lindale, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon 

– Kyla Rae Knight, 24, of Whitehouse, assault of a public servant

– Monta Dean Lawson, 26, of Tyler, burglary of habitation

– Demetrius Leon Mass, 29, of Tyler, burglary of vehicles with two or more previous convictions  

– Bobby Phillips, 54, of Tyler, two counts of burglary of a building 

Jesus Fernando Rocha, 19, of Tyler, retaliation 

– Shalonda Denise Rose, 40, of Henderson, possession of a controlled substance in penalty group 1 weighing at least 1 gram but under 4 grams and  driving while intoxicated 3rd or more 

– Kiara Shaunta Donya L Smith, 28, of Tyler, two counts of credit card or debit card abuse of the elderly 

– Sosa Yesenia, 32, of Tyler, possession of a controlled substance in penalty group 1 weighing more than 1 gram but less than 4 grams  

– Anthony Shawn Thomas, 34, of Lindale, possession of a controlled substance in penalty group 2 weighing less than 1 gram   

– Bobby Ray Thompson, 36, of Tyler, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon   

– Steven Eric Wade, 25, of Hawkins, driving while intoxicated third or more

– Brian Jeff Ward, 46, of Flint, theft of property costing less than $2,500 with two or more previous convictions   

– Ricky Taylor Watson, 59, of Tyler, driving while intoxicated third or more

– Ediel Jaramillo, 32, of Tyler, burglary of a building  

– Rache Woodsl, 21, of Lindale, possession of a controlled substance in penalty group 1 weighing less than 1 gram and prohibited substance in a correctional facility

 

Nov. 9 indictments include: 

– Erik Todd Anderson, 46, of Tyler, possession of a controlled substance in penalty group 1 weighing less than 1 gram

– Benjamin Kaleb Balderrama, 21, of Whitehouse, possession of a controlled substance in penalty group 1 weighing more than 1 gram but less than 4 grams and manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance in penalty group 1 weighing more than 1 gram  

– Terral Deshon Carter, 26, of Tyler, injury to a child   

– Sharmentha Deann Champion, 27, of Tyler, fraudulent use or possession of identifying information  

– Cary Dean Christian, 65, of Tyler, theft of property costing more than $2,500 but less than $30,000 

– Mary Lee Crockett, 50, of Tyler, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon  

– Alcide Jack Crowell, 52, of Flint, injury to a child 

– David Lynn Davenport, 37, of Longview, theft of property costing less than $2,500 with two or more previous convictions 

– Armando Antonio Govea-Sanchez, 21, of Tyler, possession of a controlled substance in penalty group 1 weighing more than 1 gram but less than 4 grams  

– John David Gorver, 53, of Longview, aggravated assault 

– David Wayne Herring, 39, of Tyler, possession of a controlled substance in penalty group 1 weighing less than 1 gram 

– William Horase Hill, 56, of Whitehouse, assault of a public servant  

– Cole C. Hilton, 18, of Gladewater, manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance in penalty group 3/4 weighing less than 28 grams and manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance in penalty group 1 weighing more than 4 grams but less than 200 grams 

– Dawn Qweiene Hocutt, 50, of Tennessee Colony, aggravated assault  

– Larry Wayne Jedkins, 52, of Flint, forgery of a financial instrument  

– Rochelle Nicole Jordan, 36, of Tyler, manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance in penalty group 1 weighing at least one gram but less than 4 grams    

– Christopher Lee Lawson, 27, of  forgery of a financial instrument  

– Jimmy Liberto Mitchell, 26, of Tyler, evading arrest  

– Wardell Moore III, 36, of Tyler, evading arrest with previous convictions and burglary of a building

– Margarito Rivera-Soto, 42, of Lindale, assault family violence

– Darrell Rufus Rushing, 59, of Larue, driving while intoxicated third or more

– Tina Larue Shirey, 50, of Arp, forgery of a financial instrument  

– Taylor Nicole Skinner, 24, of Rusk, injury to a child   

– Samuel Aaron Socia, 18, of Troup, criminal mischief costing at least $2,500 but less than $30,000  

– Brittany Nicole Solis, 27, of Tyler, criminal mischief costing at least $1,500 but less than $20,000 

– Mickey Jermain Starnes, 34, of Tyler, theft of property valued at #$2,500 but less than $30,000

– Janette Nichole Tague, 25, of Whitehouse, driving while intoxicated third or more

– Mark Edward Wagner, 56, of Arnold, Pennsylvania, possession of a controlled substance in penalty group 1 weighing less than 1 gram