Burglary call leads to arrest of two for alleged threats, one with knife
Hot Springs police responding to a possible burglary in progress Friday morning arrested two area men, one reportedly armed with a knife, for alleged threats and trespassing.
Tyler Blake Barnett, 23, who lists a Tenor Place address in Pearcy, and Donald Oneal Scott, 22, who lists a Bailey Street address in Hot Springs, were both taken into custody shortly after noon and each charged with first-degree terroristic threatening, with Barnett’s classified as a felony punishable by up to six years in prison because he allegedly had a knife, while Scott’s is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail.
Both Barnett and Scott, neither of whom has any prior felony history, were also charged with misdemeanor counts of first-degree criminal mischief and criminal trespassing with Barnett also charged with public intoxication. Barnett was being held on a $3,000 bond and Scott on a $2,500 bond and both were set to appear Monday in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly before noon Friday, police responded to a residence in the 100 block of Howe Street regarding a reported burglary in progress with one suspect armed with a knife.
While en route, dispatchers advised officers two people were fighting at the scene. Officer Will Brakefield saw a white male and a Black male in the street in front of the residence when he arrived, and the white male was yelling at the resident.
Both males were ordered to sit down and the Black male, later identified as Scott, initially sat down on the curb, but then got up and approached Officer Shane Lewis, who had his Taser displayed and told him to sit back down. At that point, the white male, later identified as Barnett, also began approaching.
Lewis reportedly deployed his Taser striking Scott, who was taken into custody, and then Barnett was taken into custody by Brakefield. It was determined neither Barnett nor Scott lived at the residence and refused to leave when the resident asked them.
The victim and a witness both stated the two suspects were “kicking his door and attempting to gain entry.” He noted Scott was threatening them while attempting to get in. They said both suspects attempted to gain entry through a side window, but were unsuccessful. A door to the residence reportedly sustained $200 in damage during the incident.
The witness alleged that Barnett was holding a knife in his hand while kicking the door and “threatening to kill him.” It was also noted Barnett had a strong odor of intoxicants about his person.
Upon arrival at the jail, Barnett was placed in a holding cell “due to his actions and uncooperative behavior,” and was unavailable to answer any questions.