Fleeing suspects arrested on felony drug charges
A local man and woman were arrested on multiple felony charges late Tuesday after both allegedly fled from Hot Springs police and had drugs in their possession.
Dustyn Dwayne Clay, 35, and Wendi Yvonne Barfield, 43, who both list a Trivista Right address, were taken into custody shortly after 10 p.m. and each charged with felony counts of possession of a controlled substance, meth, and possession of drug paraphernalia, punishable by up to six years in prison. Barfield was charged with fleeing in a vehicle and Clay was charged with fleeing on foot, both misdemeanor counts.
Clay, who was being sought on felony warrants for failure to appear, was also charged with two additional felony counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and a misdemeanor count of possession of a controlled substance. Barfield remained in custody in lieu of $6,000 bond while Clay was being held on zero bond. Both appeared Wednesday in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, around 10 p.m. Tuesday, police Officer Jonathan Smith was westbound on Trivista Left when he spotted a blue 2018 Chevrolet Spark near Fair Alley and noted the vehicle matched the description of one reportedly occupied by Clay, who had warrants.
Smith followed the vehicle to the 300 block of Laser Street where he attempted a traffic stop, first activating his lights and then his siren. The driver, later identified as Barfield, allegedly continued westbound until she reached the 100 block where she finally stopped.
Before
Smith could get out, he noted the front passenger door was open and saw Clay, shirtless with no shoes, jump out and flee on foot northbound on Central Avenue. He broadcast his description and stayed with Barfield who was taken into custody without incident.
In searching the vehicle, Smith reportedly located a red purse in the back seat containing five unused syringes and one used syringe. Inside a wallet in the center console, which Barfield allegedly admitted was hers, he found a folded dollar bill with 0.1 gram of meth. Barfield told Smith before he fled, Clay was emptying his pockets into her wallet.
Meanwhile, Officer Thomas Plummer spotted Clay running north and then west on Central and cornered him at the intersection of Manor Circle and Central behind Pure White Cleaners, 2002 Central. Clay reportedly tried to climb a wall behind the store as Plummer approached him.
Clay allegedly refused to comply with commands and kept his hands in his pockets as he walked toward officers so they deployed a Taser and were then able to take him into custody without further incident.
While taking Clay into custody, officers allegedly found a lighter in his hand and found a meth pipe immediately adjacent to him. They also found a small package of Suboxone film, 0.9 gram.
Once at the jail, Clay allegedly stated everything officers found in the car was his. When asked what they might have found, Clay said “drugs.” When asked what kind, he said, “meth.”