Two arrested after stop on reportedly stolen car
An Arkadelphia man and a Russellville woman were arrested early Thursday following a traffic stop by Hot Springs police on a reportedly stolen car, during which multiple drugs were allegedly found in the man’s possession.
Andrew Scott Loudermilk, 29, who lists an Arkadelphia address, and Brandy Lynn George, 33, who lists a Russellville address, were each charged with a felony count of theft by receiving over $5,000, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, in connection with the stolen car and a misdemeanor count of theft of property under $1,000, because the license plate was also allegedly stolen.
Loudermilk was also charged with additional felony counts of possession of meth with purpose to deliver, punishable by up to 20 years in prison, possession of oxycodone with purpose to deliver, punishable by up to 10 years, possession of drug paraphernalia, punishable by up to six years, and a misdemeanor count of possession of marijuana with purpose to deliver.
Loudermilk was being held on bonds totaling $16,500 and George was being held on a $4,500 bond and both are set to appear today in Garland County District Court.
According to court records, George lists no prior criminal history, but Loudermilk was convicted in 2017 of two counts of theft by receiving and one count of breaking or entering and sentenced to three years in prison; and on Feb. 10, 2021, of multiple counts of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia and sentenced to three years in prison and four years’ probation, all in Polk County.
According to the probable cause affidavit, around 2 a.m. Thursday, HSPD Officer Austin Morphew saw a white Nissan Altima traveling north in the 3000 block of Central Avenue and a computer check showed the license plate had been reported stolen out of Little Rock, so he pulled it over in the 400 block of Higdon Ferry Road.
He made contact with the driver, identified as George, who stated the car belonged to her friend. A check of the vehicle identification number revealed it had been reported stolen out of Faulkner County.
The key fob for the vehicle was found in George’s purse and she later allegedly told detectives she and her boyfriend paid his friend $100 for the car in Conway and that they only had it for one day. She reportedly said she “felt weird” getting a car for $100 and the affidavit notes the car was determined to be valued at $10,357.
Meanwhile, Officer 1st Class Shane Lewis was assisting the passenger, identified as Loudermilk, out of the car and noted he appeared to be “digging in his pants” at one point and dropping something. He claimed it was not his car and that he was picked up from Waffle House earlier and fell asleep in the car.
A zipper pouch was reportedly found on the right side of the passenger seat that allegedly contained a baggie with 7.4 grams of marijuana, a baggie with nine oxycodone pills, and a baggie with 5.5 grams of what later tested positive for meth. A backpack was found in the floorboard which allegedly contained a scale and a large bag with numerous smaller baggies inside and registration information that indicated it belonged to Loudermilk.