Man beaten, thrown out of vehicle, van set on fire - KYTX CBS 19 Tyler Longview News Weather Sports

Man beaten, thrown out of vehicle, van set on fire

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SMITH COUNTY (TYLER MORNING TELEGRAPH) - A man who was beaten, thrown out of a vehicle and his van set on fire over the weekend remains hospitalized as Smith County Sheriff's deputies try to uncover how and why the incident happened.
Lt. Tony Dana said his office responded to a 911 call at 12082 Texas Highway 64 west about 4:30 a.m. Saturday and found 32-year-old Jerry Wrinkle lying on the pavement close to his van which was engulfed in flames.

Dana said Wrinkle was badly beaten and was unable to tell deputies how his van caught fire.

Dana said Wrinkle was transported to East Texas Medical Center and according to family member's posts on Facebook he remains in ICU.

However, ETMC Spokesperson Rebecca Berkeley said hospital records do not indicate a patient with that name is currently in the hospital. She added that the patient could be a no information patient, which would keep his name off the records.

Dana said Wrinkle told deputies he had gone to a local bar and began drinking with a Hispanic man and when the bar closed he followed the man to a residence on Texas Highway 64 west where the two continued drinking with others.

"The victim told us that one of the men then attempted to have sex with him and when he refused several men began violently beating him," he said.

Dana said Wrinkle said the last thing he remembered was being thrown out of a vehicle and waking to find his vehicle on fire.

Anyone with information about the assault is asked to contact the Smith County Sheriff's Office at 903-566-6600 or the Tyler/Smith County Crimestoppers at 903-597-2833.
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