Man arrested for alleged theft of car, making threats
A local man was arrested on felony and misdemeanor warrants Monday stemming from allegations he stole a woman’s car and threatened to beat up another man, both in August.
Donavan Rufus Coates, 32, who lists a North Patterson Street address, was taken into custody shortly before 9:30 a.m. and charged with a felony count of theft of property over $5,000, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and a misdemeanor count of second-degree terroristic threatening, punishable by up to one year in jail.
Coates remained in custody Tuesday in lieu of $4,500 bond and is set to appear today in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit on the theft charge, on Aug. 10, shortly after midnight, a woman reported the theft of her 2011 Buick LaCrosse, valued at $10,885, from the parking lot of Oaklawn Racing and Gaming, 2705 Central Ave. The victim noted she possibly dropped the key fob for the car inside the game room.
Oaklawn security re- viewed surveillance video, which showed the victim dropping her keys and a white female picking them up. A white male who was with the female is then seen entering the victim’s car and driving away.
On Aug. 17, Hot Springs police Detective Les Jessup reviewed the security video and noted the male suspect could be seen using the key fob in the parking lot to locate the LaCrosse, by flashing the lights, then getting in it and driving it away.
Jessup distributed still photos of the male and female suspects to patrol officers and was soon notified by Officer Brandon McAdoo that the male suspect was possibly Coates. Jessup compared a recent booking photo of Coates to the video and reportedly confirmed it was him, the affidavit states.
According to the terroristic threatening affidavit, on Aug. 15, shortly before 8:30 a.m., Officer Wes Smith responded to a residence on North Patterson Street in reference to threats made and spoke with a man who stated he was threatened by a known suspect, identified as Coates, the day before.
He said Coates approached him and threatened to “beat him up” if he didn’t give Coates the title to a vehicle they had a civil agreement on. He said he had agreed to give the vehicle and title to Coates if he did some work for him, but Coates “did not finish his part of the deal” so he was not going to give him the title.
He said he “feared for his life” after the threats by Coates so he gave him the title.