Huntsville police fire shots at man; suspect arrested

Huntsville Police Chief Todd Thomas said two of his officers suffered minor injuries when Harrelson rammed their vehicles.

The Huntsville Police Department has asked the Arkansas State Police to investigate an officer-involved shooting Tuesday outside a Wal-Mart Supercenter.

Larry Harrelson, 42, was spotted at the store on U.S. 412 in Huntsville. He was wanted on felony warrants and for a parole violation, according to a news release from the state police.

Troopers with the state police Highway Patrol Division were assisting the Arkansas Parole Board Special Response Team, Madison County Sheriff’s Office and Huntsville police when they tried to apprehend Harrelson about 5:25 p.m. Tuesday.

“When Huntsville police officers attempted to block Harrelson’s vehicle, he escaped by ramming two of the [police] vehicles,” according to the news release. “Shots were fired by police on scene as a result of this action. No injuries were reported.”

Harrelson drove out of the parking lot and toward downtown Huntsville. A state trooper spotted Harrelson and initiated a traffic stop, but initially Harrelson didn’t stop.

“The trooper was able to stop the fleeing vehicle without incident,” according to state police.

Harrelson was arrested and was in a holding facility in Huntsville at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday awaiting transfer to the Washington County jail in Fayetteville.

Liz Chapman, spokeswoman for the state police, said Harrelson is being held on two counts of aggravated assault on a police officer and felony fleeing, but formal charges have yet to be filed regarding Tuesday’s arrest.

Huntsville Police Chief Todd Thomas said two of his officers suffered minor injuries when Harrelson rammed

their vehicles. He said both officers have been cleared by the state police to return to work. Thomas wouldn’t reveal the name of either officer. He said neither officer had to go to a hospital as a result of their injuries.

Thomas said he couldn’t reveal any details of the shooting because it’s still under investigation.

“I can’t comment on any of it since the state is working that case,” he said.

According to Benton County Circuit Court records, a bench warrant was issued Aug. 8 for a Larry Wayne Harrelson, 42, with a last known address of of Siloam Springs, for failure to appear in court

that day. The original charge was possession of methamphetamine, Ecstasy and instruments of crime.

An affidavit noted when Siloam Springs police arrested Harrelson on April 13, in his vehicle they found “numerous items commonly used for burglaries and/or kidnappings,” including two baseball bats, handcuffs, black ski masks, zip ties, pepper spray, shotgun shells, a lock-picking kit, a tool for breaking car windows and assorted other tools.

Harrelson pleaded not guilty to those charges and was released on bond.