Local man sentenced to 30 years in assault on deputy
Kyle Wade Schroeder, 21, of El Dorado was sentenced to 30 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections and 15 years suspended imposition of sentence in late July after accepting a plea agreement that involved his pleading guilty to second-degree battery, fleeing, theft of property greater than $25,000 and aggravated assault.
Suspended imposition of sentence is similar to probation, but with harsher penalties for re-offending, such as immediate incarceration.
Schroeder appeared before Judge Hamilton Singleton on Thursday, July 22.
Schroeder’s charges stem from an incident in August 2020 in which police said he fled in a stolen vehicle from a Union County deputy.
According to court records, a pursuit began when a Union County Sheriff’s deputy encountered a vehicle in the area of Mount Holly Road matching the description of a vehicle reported stolen by the El Dorado Police Department.
The pursuit ended at the intersection of Hwy. 82 West and Lynn Fite Road when Schroeder crashed his vehicle through a fence and into a tree near a residence.
Schroeder then fled on foot, according to the probable cause affidavit, and two physical altercations between the deputy and Schroeder occurred during the ensuing foot pursuit.
First, the deputy caught up to Schroeder just outside the residence and attempted to use his TASER; this attempt was “ineffective,” records say.
The foot pursuit then led to the backyard of the residence, where the deputy and Schroeder fought again and Schroeder allegedly “slammed the deputy to the ground.”
Schroeder then took off on foot again, this time making his way to the driveway and entering the deputy’s squad car, where there was an “unsecured AR-15 rifle.”
The deputy used his handgun to fire one shot at this point, striking the front driver’s side window of the patrol car. Schroeder, who was not hit, left the scene in the deputy’s squad car.
According to previous News-Times reporting, Sheriff Ricky Roberts said officers eventually found the deputy’s car abandoned on a logging road. Schroeder, Roberts said at the time, was eventually apprehended with help from a local resident on Parnell Road.
Schroeder, who according to court records has more than four prior felonies, pleaded guilty to all four charges as part of the terms of the plea agreement offered by 13th Judicial District Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Carla Gibson.
He was sentenced to 15 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections for the charge of second-degree battery with a habitual offender enhancement; 10 years in the ADC for the charge of fleeing with a habitual offender enhancement; 15 years suspended imposition of sentence for the theft of property charge; and five years in the ADC for the charge of aggravated assault.