Sheriff identifies man who died after struggle with deputies

The Cleburne County sheriff ’s office on Monday identified a Heber Springs resident as the man who died after an altercation with deputies over the weekend.

Heath Allen Snowden, 34, was pronounced dead after a “very intense physical altercation” with deputies Saturday, according to a news release from Cleburne County Sheriff Chris Brown.

The incident was the second altercation reported by the sheriff’s office last week. The first altercation, which didn’t involve Snowden, occurred Sept. 10 and left two Cleburne deputies injured.

Brown didn’t answer specific questions about Saturday’s incident in an email, but he said the deputies involved in Saturday’s altercation were different from those involved in the Sept. 10 incident.

“We reviewed the previous incident and found no wrongdoing,” Brown said in an email Monday.

The deputies involved in Saturday’s fatal altercation were placed on paid administrative leave, and the Arkansas State Police is investigating. The deputies’ names haven’t been released.

The confrontation began with a medical call by Northstar EMS to 502 Heber Springs Road West, the news release said. A homeless mission is located at the address, according to the Heber Springs Area Chamber of Commerce’s website.

Paramedics reported that a man at the scene of the call was acting “disorderly,” and deputies met Snowden, who was “unruly and combative,” when they arrived, the release said. Snowden struggled with the deputies for several minutes before being subdued. Then deputies noticed he was in “medical distress.”

Authorities started CPR, and Northstar transported Snowden to the hospital where he was pronounced dead, the release said.

State police investigators will send their findings to 16th Judicial Circuit Prosecuting Attorney Holly Meyer, who will make a determination whether any charges should be filed.