Traffic stop leads to felony drug charges
A routine traffic stop Friday morning allegedly uncovered multiple drugs and a firearm, leading to the arrest of a Hot Springs man and woman.
Maggie Luo Everett, 25, who refused to disclose her address, and Akee’ Jae Cordell Bryant, 19, who lists a Breeze Street address, were taken into custody at 9:34 a.m. Friday and each charged with simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, punishable by up to life in prison, theft by receiving, punishable by up to six years, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of methamphetamine with the purpose to deliver and possession of a Schedule I or II controlled substance with purpose to deliver, each punishable by up to 10 years.
Both remained in custody Monday, with Bryant held on $35,000 bond and Everett on $18,745 bond. They are set to appear in Garland County District Court on April 18.
According to the affidavit, shortly after 9 a.m. Friday, Hot Springs police Officer Robert Plyler observed a blue passenger car eastbound on Airport Road and noted it had a cracked windshield and swerved between lanes three times.
He stopped the vehicle in the 200 block of Airport and made contact with the occupants, identified as Bryant, Everett and a female minor, and allegedly detected a slight odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle.
After checking the three occupants through dispatch, Plyler determined Everett had a failure to appear warrant, so she was taken into custody. The minor allegedly gave a false name and date of birth at first.
As Plyler was searching and speaking to Bryant, he reportedly saw the minor pick up a tan bag sitting on the floor of the vehicle within arm’s reach of all of the occupants. He noted she put the bag in the seat next to her and placed something inside it before closing it.
Following his search, Bryant grabbed another bag from the seat next to the minor, stating the bag belonged to him and had books inside it. Plyler told Bryant due to the marijuana odor he detected earlier, he was going to search the bag before he left the scene.
With Bryant’s permission, Plyler searched the bag and allegedly found a purse with a set of digital scales and a plastic bag of suspected meth, approximately 0.5 gram. When asked who had possession of the bag, Bryant reportedly said he and the minor were sharing the bag, so Bryant was taken into custody.
After being asked again for her information, the minor gave her correct name and date of birth.
Another purse was found in the back seat that allegedly contained two sets of digital scales and a firearm reportedly stolen in Garland County. A pink zipper bag was located in the front seat that contained a wallet, Everett’s Arkansas ID, a large bag with 19.4 grams of acetaminophen and codeine pills, a clear bag with approximately 1.5 grams of meth, a small bag that contained white powder with white chunks and two pill bottles with miscellaneous pills.
• A Hot Springs man was arrested Saturday after allegedly slashing a man’s arm when he wouldn’t give him money.
Jerry Wayne Moore, 58, of 126 Oriole St., Apt. 309, was taken into custody at his residence at 3:59 p.m. and charged with second-degree battery, a felony punishable by up to six years in jail. He remained in custody Monday in lieu of $2,500 bond and is set to appear April 18 in district court.
According to the affidavit, police responded to a battery report at the apartments and made contact with the victim, who stated that at 2:58 p.m. that day he was walking toward the elevator at the apartments when he was approached by Moore.
He said Moore walked directly toward him and said, “You owe me $32.” He replied, “I owe you $32? I don’t owe you any money.” He said he attempted to walk past Moore, but he followed him to the elevator. He turned around to ask Moore why he was following him, and Moore pulled a large knife out of his back pocket.
Moore allegedly struck the victim in the left shoulder with the knife, causing a small cut. Another tenant entered the hallway, and Moore hid the knife behind his body and quickly made his way to his room.
Officers reviewed video footage of the incident and confirmed the victim’s statement. They then made contact with Moore and took him into custody without incident.
• A traffic stop on a vehicle with a false license plate allegedly revealed numerous
narcotics, leading to the driver’s arrest early Friday on felony charges.
James Franklin Wells Jr., 55, who lists a Twin Points Road address, was taken into custody at around 6:23 a.m. and charged with possession of a Schedule IV or V substance with purpose to deliver, punishable by up to six years in prison, possession of a Schedule III substance with purpose to deliver and possession of meth with purpose to deliver, punishable by up to 10 years, and drug paraphernalia, punishable by up to 20 years. He was later released on $17,000 bond and is set to appear April 18 in district court.
According to the affidavit, HSPD Officer Jason Greene observed a gold Dodge van southbound in the 2700 block of Central Avenue and noted the plate returned to a maroon Chevrolet.
Greene stopped the van in the 3300 block of Central Avenue and made contact with the driver, identified as Wells, who told him he didn’t have a valid driver’s license or current insurance on the van. He allegedly admitted he had placed the fictitious plate on the vehicle and it was determined he had a warrant for his arrest, so he was taken into custody.
The van was searched prior to towing and Greene allegedly found a black zippered bag containing five ziplock plastic baggies, two of which held a white crystalline substance that tested positive for meth.
A glass pipe with residue inside of it was located next to the bag. Also found were a cup with six pills later identified as Xanax, a Suboxone sublingual film and three syringes.
• A Hot Springs man and his wife were both arrested early Sunday following an altercation between them.
Matthew William Whittaker, 50, and Kayla Latrice Whittaker, 25, both of 111 Mellersh St., were taken into custody at their residence shortly before 3 a.m. and charged with third-degree domestic battery, a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail. Both remained in custody Monday on zero bond and are set to appear April 18 in district court.
According to the affidavit, HSPD Officer Shane Lewis responded to the residence regarding a disturbance and made contact with Matthew Whittaker in the street in front of the residence.
A dispatcher advised Lewis that Matthew Whittaker had a large butcher knife in his back pocket, so Lewis ordered him to place his hands on the hood of his patrol unit and confiscated the knife as Kayla Whittaker came outside.
Lewis noted Matthew Whitaker had a small puncture wound to his left forearm, red marks to his chest and marks on his back and that Kayla Whittaker was bleeding from her middle and ring fingers.
Kayla Whittaker said Matthew Whittaker punched her in the left eye and cut her fingers with the butcher knife during an argument over a phone call. She also said he broke her phone, valued at approximately $100. She was transported to National Park Medical Center for treatment.
Matthew Whittaker stated his wife had used a screwdriver to cause the puncture wounds to him. Lewis noted there was a screwdriver on the floor in the residence’s living room.
The two stated they have been together for approximately three years and have been married for one year. Kayla Whittaker’s son was in the residence during the incident, but was asleep in another room.