Local man previously arrested for break-in facing burglary charge
A Hot Springs man arrested last month for breaking or entering was arrested Sunday night on a felony warrant for allegedly burglarizing a woman’s home after she recognized him from his mug shot.
Donnie Samuel Witherspoon, 24, who lists a Summer Street address, was taken into custody shortly before 7 p.m. near Summer and South streets and charged with residential burglary, punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Witherspoon, who also had a warrant for failure to comply, was being held on $7,500 bond and appeared Monday in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on Sept. 20, shortly before 11 p.m., a local woman arrived home at her residence on Centerview Street and as she pulled into her driveway she saw a black male entering her residence through the front door.
She said she could see the man inside shining a light around the residence. She parked in the driveway and saw the man exit the front door. He stopped less than 10 feet from her, she said, and then fled the area. When she checked inside, she discovered a Wii gaming console that had been pulled out but left behind apparently because of her arrival.
The woman gave Hot Springs police a description of the suspect’s clothing and that he had a cellphone with white headphones attached.
Witherspoon was arrested the next day on a felony charge of breaking or entering and his mug shot was featured online. The woman saw his photo and reportedly recognized him as the man she had seen entering her house.
Detectives reviewed video from when Witherspoon was booked and noted he was wearing the same clothing the woman had described and carrying a cellphone with white headphones attached.
Witherspoon had been released on Sept. 24 on $2,500 bond from the breaking or entering charge, but a warrant was later issued for his arrest on the burglary.
• A local man was arrested on felony warrants early Saturday stemming from allegations he broke into a woman’s car last month and later used her debit card to withdraw funds.
Michael Landon Wiley, 56, of 708 Gaines St., was taken into custody at his residence shortly before 2:30 a.m. and charged with breaking or entering and theft of property, each punishable by up to six years in prison. He was being held on $5,000 bond and appeared Monday in Garland County District Court.
According to a probable cause affidavit, on Sept. 13, a woman reported her 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer was broken into while parked in the lot at Popeye’s, 130 E. Grand Ave. The driver’s side window was shattered and her purse, wallet, ID and debit card were stolen.
The woman was notified by her bank that two ATM withdrawals were made on her debit card at two different banks, one for $183.50 and the other for $43, a total of $226. Both of the withdrawals occurred several minutes before she discovered her vehicle had been broken into.
Detective Nathan Rines obtained surveillance video of one of the withdrawals which showed a black male who attempted to cover his face with an article of clothing while using the ATM, but his face was “clearly visible for several minutes,” the affidavit states.
A still photo of the suspect was circulated to other officers and several identified the suspect as Wiley based on prior interactions with him. Rines obtained a recent photo of Wiley and was reportedly able to confirm it was him, as well.
The affidavit notes Wiley was charged with breaking or entering because of the timeline of him using the stolen debit card prior to the victim discovering her vehicle had been broken into. A warrant was issued for his arrest on Sept. 13.