Disturbance in city park leads to arrests of 4 on felony charges
Hot Springs police responding to a reported disturbance at a city park late Sunday ended up arresting four local men on felony charges after drugs and guns were allegedly found at the scene.
McKinley Junior Williams,
29, who lists a Wood Street address, Demetrius Lamar Holmes, 18, who lists a Spring Street address, Gerrard Richard Wells, 18, who lists a Magnolia Street address, and Randell Siscero Johnson, 26, who lists a Vivian Street address, were all taken into custody just before
9 p.m. and charged with felony possession of cocaine, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and misdemeanor possession of marijuana, punishable by up to one year in jail.
Holmes and Williams were also each charged with a felony count of simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, punishable by up to life in prison. Williams, a previously convicted felon, was also charged with possession of a firearm by certain persons and theft by receiving, each punishable by up to six years in prison.
All four remained in custody Monday with Williams and Holmes being held on zero bond. Johnson, who also had a warrant for failure to appear, was being held in lieu of $5,450 bond and Wells was being held in lieu of a $4,500 bond.
All four are set to appear Aug. 8 in Garland County District Court.
According to the affidavit, Cpl. LeeAnn Zaner and Officer Tyree Sampson responded to Chattanooga Park, 500 Chattanooga St., in reference to a disturbance between three to five males at the park’s pavilion.
Upon their arrival, four males quickly dispersed from the picnic table under the pavilion and allegedly refused to obey the officers’ commands.
One male, known to officers as Williams, was allegedly observed reaching in the front of his pants and throwing an item into the bushes as he walked by.
Officers identified the other three men, and noticed there were two cigarette packages left on the table under the pavilion. Inside one of the packs, officers reportedly located two clear plastic bags containing what later tested positive for cocaine, a total of approximately 5.6 grams. They also found a bag with 0.8 gram of marijuana.
Witnesses on scene stated they saw Holmes throwing items in the park. K-9 Raven responded to the scene and performed an article search on the area. She located another plastic bag containing 1.6 grams of marijuana and a red dice.
After searching the bushes, officers located two loaded firearms, a reportedly stolen 9-mm and a .380 caliber.