A Hot Springs woman was arrested by Hot Springs police last night at just after 10 PM after allegedly leaving the scene of an injury accident. The accident happened at Airport Road and the expressway in Hot Springs with an HSPD officer observing a Toyota van fleeing the scene. The vehicle was stopped at 1040 Airport Road with the officer making contact with the driver, identified as, 31 year old, Stephanie L. Scott, of 325 Mote Street. Scott allegedly denied that she had been involved in the accident but police reported extensive damage to the front of Scott’s vehicle, a deployed driver’s side airbag and a cloud of dust inside the vehicle as a result of the airbag deployment. Three children, ages 8, 9 and 5 reported to have been in the vehicle were said to be yelling and screaming that they wanted out of the van and wanted to go with the officer. Scott was given a field sobriety test and then arrested. Scott allegedly refused to take a breath test upon arrival at the Garland County Sheriff’s Office. Scott was charged with a misdemeanor charge of DUI #2, leaving the scene of an injury accident, a class “D” felony, 3 counts of 2nd degree endangering the welfare of a minor, a class “A” misdemeanor and refusal to submit. Scott’s bail was set at $7,000. The individuals that Scott allegedly struck were transported to a local hospital for treatment. Their condition is not known.
An officer with the Hot Springs Police Department responded to 1620 Albert Pike at around 9:15 AM yesterday morning in reference to a possible disturbance. On the scene, the officer came in contact with 42 year old, Stacy Ann McGuffin, who lists an address of 107 Dahlia. The officer was advised through dispatch that McGuffin had a valid arrest warrant through Sevier County and they would extradite her. McGuffin was placed in custody and in a search, incident to arrest, the officer allegedly located a small plastic baggy in her purse containing a dingy white colored substance believed to be methamphetamine. The substance was field tested and produced a positive reaction for the presumptive identification of meth. McGuffin was charged with possession of a controlled substance, meth, a class “C” felony. She was being held on $3,500 bail with a court date set for September 21st in Hot Springs District Court. McGuffin is reported to have had a previous felony conviction in Sevier County in 2008.
The Garland County Sheriff’s Department reports that a deputy was dispatched to the 200 block of Candleberry last night at just before 11 PM in reference to a theft. According to the report, a 75 year old woman said that she had allowed three males to come to her residence to watch a movie and that while there, one of the men asked to use the restroom. The woman told sheriff’s deputies that the men left a short time later and went to the house across the street. The woman said that she then went to her bedroom and discovered that most of her jewelry was missing. According to the report, the woman asked the deputy to go next door and tell the men that if they would return her jewelry, she would not press charges. The deputy reportedly made contact with the men and ran a check by name and birth date discovering that one of the men, identified as, 33 year old, Michael Hibbs, allegedly had two failure to appear warrants. Hibbs was taken into custody. The deputy then spoke with the homeowner who stated that if one of the men had the jewelry, he would find it. A few minutes later, the homeowner gave the deputy a sock with jewelry inside stating that he had found the jewelry in the possession of 22 year old, Jerry Sean David Hampton. Hampton, who lists an address of 255 Clara M Court in Royal, was then arrested and charged with theft of property, a class “C” felony. Hampton was being held on $3,500 bail.
Two women were jailed last night after a Garland County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle the women were driving. According to the report, the two women were circling in the area of Smith and LaCrosse Streets, which police say is a popular drug area. Police said that the driver, identified as, 36 year old, Amy N. Merriot, of Pearcy, was reportedly driving on a suspended driver’s license and acted very nervous upon contact by the deputy. Merriot allegedly kept trying to kick a white bag located in the floorboard under her seat, according to the report. Meanwhile, the passenger, identified as, 39 year old, Stacy L. Mitchell, of Little Rock, was run through NCIC and it was determined that she had two warrants for her arrest. A search of Mitchell’s purse incident to arrest revealed 3 syringes, a spoon and 3 straws in her possession. In a search of the vehicle, deputies located a bag with two bottles of acetone, two bottles of Heet, one package of clear tubing and a can of Coleman camp fuel, which police say are the ingredients used in cooking meth. At the detention center, jailers also allegedly found a white powdery substance that appeared to be meth in a coffee filter along with a small piece of phosphorus in Merriot’s possession. Merriot was charged with two counts of drug paraphernalia with intent to manufacture and possession of a controlled substance, meth, both class “C” felonies, possession of drug paraphernalia, a class “A” misdemeanor and driving on a suspended driver’s license. She was being held on $12,000 bail. Mitchell was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, a class “C” felony and also a misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia charge. Mitchell was being held on $4,500 bail.
Garland County Sheriff’s deputies dispatched to a domestic disturbance at around 1:35 AM this morning report that a Hot Springs man is now facing felony drug charges. According to the report, the female victim and the male suspect were located in the front yard of the residence when police arrived. The woman told deputies that the two got into an argument with the suspect hitting her in the lip and pushing her through a wall. She also told deputies that the alleged suspect, identified as, 26 year old, Derrick A. Stevenson, went out the back door prior to the arrival of the deputies probably to hide something. Once the situation was under control, deputies went to the rear of the house to see if they could find what the suspect might have hidden. On the back porch inside a barbecue grill, deputies allegedly located two bricks of marijuana along with three other small bags, with a total weight of 243 grams. Deputies also reported finding a Hi Point .45 caliber handgun, also inside the grill. Stevenson was arrested and transported to the Garland County Detention Center and charged with one count of simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, a class “Y” felony, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, marijuana, a class “B” felony and third degree assault on a family or household member, a class “C” misdemeanor. Stevenson is being held without bail.
Hot Springs police were dispatched to the 400 block of Quail Creek Sunday night at just before 9:30 PM in response to a suspicious vehicle. According to the report, a witness told officers that he had observed a white male sitting in a vehicle and a young black standing in the yard of a residence while yet another black male was observed hiding in some bushes next to his residence. A short time later, officers stopped the vehicle, which contained three juvenile males, after it ran a stop sign. Police made contact with the three and alleged that a bottle of prescription medication belonging to an area resident was visible in the front floorboard. Officers went to the resident’s address and found that his vehicle had been broken into and the medication stolen. Other missing items, including a stolen camera, were also found in the suspect’s vehicle. The three juveniles, two fifteen year olds and a 16 year old, were each charged with two counts of breaking or entering and were being held without bail. According to police, more charges are expected to be filed against the three youths.
The Garland County Sheriff’s Department reports that as deputies were attempting to move an inmate at the Garland County Detention Center Saturday night at around 6:30 PM, another inmate is alleged to have become combative and started a fight with jailers. 21 year old, Jermaine Atkinson, who already faces charges of theft of property, over $2,500, residential burglary, theft by receiving and 2 counts of escape, now faces additional charges of felony 2nd degree battery. According to the report, Atkinson stood in a doorway refusing to move after being ordered to do so by deputies. He allegedly started fighting after being pushed back by one deputy using an open hand. The deputy dispatched for help with one deputy administering a one second burst of pepper spray to Atkinson who continued to fight with deputies. Deputies were then forced to administer a stinger to stop him from fighting. Atkinson was escorted to a holding cell and placed in a restraint chair. He is to appear in Hot Springs District Court on the battery charge September 21st.
An officer with the Hot Springs Police Department on patrol at just after 11 PM Saturday night in the 200 block of Virginia reported driving past a parked vehicle with a distinct strong odor of burning marijuana. The officer reported making contact with the sole occupant of the vehicle, identified as 28 year old, Steven Dwayne Young, who lists an address of 213 Main Street in Hot Springs. The officer alleged that he could see in plain view, a clear glass jar containing approximately 7.2 grams of suspected marijuana on the seat beside Young. Young was asked to exit the vehicle at the officer attempted to place him in custody and reportedly tried to reach in his back pocket but the officer was able to get his hands away and cuffed without further incident. A search of Young incident to arrest allegedly found Young to be in possession of a loaded .38 caliber Derringer in his right back pocket along with a clear plastic bag containing 5 Hydrocodone pills, 7 individual bags of marijuana, one small baggy of suspected methamphetamine, weighing approximately 3.2 grams and a partially smoked marijuana cigarette. Young was charged with simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, a class “Y” felony, possession of a firearm by certain persons, a class “B” felony, possession of a controlled substance, meth and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, marijuana, both class “C” felonies. Young reportedly had a previous felony conviction in 2003 out of Garland County for robbery and terroristic threatening.
Detectives with the Hot Springs Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit executed a search warrant Friday night at just before 9 PM which resulted in drug charges being filed against two Hot Springs residents. Detectives came in contact with three occupants of the apartment at 304 Rector and detained them in the living room area. Detectives allegedly located 1.57 pounds of marijuana, 17.2 grams of powdered cocaine and 7.5 grams of crack cocaine hidden throughout the apartment. A search of vehicles associated with the occupants was conducted and a small baggy containing powdered cocaine weighing approximately 3.0 grams was found inside the console of one of the vehicles. Police say a portion of each bag was field tested and produced positive results for either cocaine or marijuana. Detectives reportedly arrested 30 year old, Antoine Zeno Jones, who also uses the alias “Rooster”, and charged him with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, crack cocaine, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, cocaine, both class “Y” felonies and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, marijuana, a class “C” felony. Jones was being held without bail. Police also alleged locating 2.6 grams of powdered cocaine inside a plastic film canister inside the purse of a female at the scene, identified as, Melissa Anne Large, also known as Melissa Robbins. Large was charged with possession of a controlled substance, cocaine, a class “C” felony.
TEXARKANA, Ark. (AP) — A toxicology report says a tractor-trailer driver who died in a crash on Interstate 30 in Texarkana that also killed three other people has tested positive for drugs.
The crash last November occurred when a big rig driven by 43-year-old Vaughn Gentry of Dallas smashed into the back of a vehicle that was stopped because of a construction delay. The explosion and fire that followed killed two Hot Springs residents in the car along with Gentry and a companion in the truck
A report released by the Arkansas State Police says posthumous blood tests on Gentry revealed he’d been using cocaine and marijuana.
The crash occurred about four miles into Arkansas from the Texas border.