Indiana felon arrested, allegedly with gun after truck stuck in Mazarn
A felon from Indiana was arrested Tuesday after his truck got stuck in Mazarn Creek at the bridge on Sunshine Road and he was allegedly found in possession of a rifle.
James Robert Howard,
70, who lists a Greensberg, Indiana, address, was taken into custody shortly before 4:30 p.m. in the 3900 block of Sunshine Road in Royal and charged with a felony count of possession of a firearm by certain persons, punishable by up to six years in prison, and a misdemeanor count of obstructing governmental operations, punishable by up to one year in jail, for allegedly lying about his identity.
Howard was being held on a $3,500 bond and was set to appear Wednesday in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly before 2 p.m. Tuesday, Garland County sheriff’s Deputy Michael Wagner responded to the Sunshine Road bridge in the 3900 block to check on a vehicle.
The deputy found a red Chevrolet pickup truck “stuck in the middle of the river” that was occupied by two white males. After speaking to one of the men, Holcomb’s Towing was contacted and pulled the truck out of the water and onto the shore.
As the truck was pulled out, the other man was still in the driver’s seat of the truck. As he exited the truck, Wagner noticed a Winchester .22-caliber rifle in the passenger seat partially covered up by a coat.
Wagner spoke to the driver, who stated his name was “James White,” 67, from Chicago. A dispatcher checked the information he gave and there was no record of anyone by that name. At that point, Wagner requested a fingerprint scanner from the Arkansas State Police.
As Wagner continued speaking with the man, he reportedly admitted that wasn’t his real name and gave the name “Mark Howard” with the same date of birth and said he was from Indiana. A computer check produced a driver’s license photo that did not match the man’s face.
Wagner again asked the man for his real name and he finally gave a name and date of birth that Wagner was able to confirm. A computer check revealed Howard was convicted of felony burglary on March 16, 1983, and felony escape on Feb. 2, 1994, both out of Indiana.
At that point, he was taken into custody for possession of a firearm because as a felon he is prohibited from owning or possessing firearms and with the obstructing charge.