Man pleads not guilty to shooting outside of Freddy’s

BENTONVILLE — A Lowell man pleaded not guilty Thursday to felony charges in connection with shooting a man in the parking lot of Freddy’s in Rogers.

Armando Almaraz-Beltran, 21, is charged with battery, aggravated assault and possession of firearms by certain persons.

Almaraz-Beltran is accused of shooting William Gonzalez in the leg June 11 outside the restaurant, according to court documents.

One witness told police Gonzalez came to the restaurant and asked Almaraz-Beltran to step outside. The witness told police Gonzalez began hitting Almaraz-Beltran so he grabbed a gun from his car and the two began fighting over the gun, the affidavit says. Gonzalez was shot in his leg.

Gonzalez drove himself to the hospital while Almaraz-Beltran fled the scene before police arrived, according to the affidavit.

Bystanders recorded the shooting and posted it on Snapchat and police were able to identify Almaraz-Beltran as the shooter, the affidavit states.

Almaraz-Beltran was arrested in Texas.

Gonzalez was admitted to the hospital. He refused to speak with police when questioned about the shooting, according to the affidavit.

Almaraz-Beltran pleaded guilty in April to two counts of delivery of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance with purpose to deliver. Court documents show he was accused of selling about half an ounce of marijuana to a confidential informant for $220 in May 2018 and possessing almost 2 ounces of marijuana for the purpose to deliver in August.

Almaraz-Beltran was sentenced to 30 days in the Benton County Jail. He was released May 17.

He was placed on five years of state-supervised probation with Act 346, which means his conviction could be expunged if he successfully completes his probation. Prosecutors have filed a motion to revoke Almaraz-Beltran’s probation.

He’s being held on $105,000 bond in the Benton County Jail.