Tire-cutting episode results in gunfire

JONESBORO — A man told police Tuesday night that he went to a Jonesboro apartment complex to cut the tires on a vehicle and mistakenly cut the wrong tires.

The owner of the cut tires at 1751 West Nettleton Ave. didn’t take it well, Patrolman Blake Anderson said.

While Corey Boose was chasing Kwal R. Williams for cutting his tires, another man came out of Boose’s apartment and fired an estimated five gunshots, Williams said. Boose said he didn’t know who was shooting at Williams.

Williams said the gunman picked up the spent shell casings and fled from the apartment complex.

Police were trying to find a husky black male who was wearing a white shirt and black shorts.

Also Tuesday, the senior pastor of First Assembly of God, 1404 Stone St., reported that someone broke the glass out of the front door of the building and stole a Nintendo Wii game system valued at $300. Matthew Smith said the burglars rifled through a few drawers in his office but apparently didn’t steal anything. Officer Richard Guimond said it also appeared that they tried to gain entry to a large safe but failed.

Other incidents reported to Jonesboro police:

• Tyler J. McCarty, 2708 Stallings Lane — theft from his residence of a 1985 Bayliner Capri 1600 boat valued at $5,500 and a homemade trailer worth $300.

• Consulea Y. Chatman, 3704 Race St. — residential burglary and theft of an estimated $1,200 in property, including a desktop computer, modem and about 30 recorded movies.

• Layne Casey, 1205 Hunter Run Cove — residential burglary and theft of $200 cash.

• Shanique Antrice Shelton, 403 Garden Manor Drive, Apt. D — residential burglary and theft of $2,600 in property, including a 55-inch TV, a 37-inch TV, two DVD players, a video game system and games.

• Elmer Roberts, 805 Owens Ave. — two checks on his bank account have been forged and cashed.

• Domingo Trinidad, 1007 Lawrence St. — theft of a 3-wheeled scooter, valued at $1,000, and a mattress and box springs set, valued at $200.

• Craig T. Herring, 1600 Links Circle, Apt. 8 — someone broke the driver’s window his company-owned vehicle and stole a Global Positioning System device.

• Hail McPheeter, 1700 Links Circle, Apt. 6 — someone entered his vehicle and stole a GPS device and radar detector.

• Matthew S. Thompson, 1700 Links Circle, Apt. 10 — someone broke the passenger window of his vehicle and stole a car stereo.

• Michael Gibson, 820 West Oak Ave. — theft of a car stereo from his vehicle.

• Fredrick Hudson, 201 Pecan St. — someone threw a rock through his living room window.

• Wal-Mart, 1815 East Highland Drive — detained for police a 28-year-old Paragould-area man accused of stealing $144.33 in merchandise.

Animal Control officers also investigated the death of a Chihuahua following an attack by a pit bull terrier. The pit bull, owned by Lindsay Bakker, 903 Warner Ave., had been loose most of the morning, witnesses told officer Kevin Cooper. The dog left its yard and attacked Jaime Jones’ dog at 916 Warner, Apt. B. Jones also suffered a dog bite in the process.

Baker was cited for allowing a dog at large and harboring a dangerous animal.

—Keith Inman

Life of ‘snitch’ allegedly threatened

JONESBORO — A second man was arrested after a burglary at a Jonesboro apartment.

Bond was set Wednesday for Harry Turner, 22, of Jonesboro after Craighead County District Judge Keith Blackman found probable cause to charge him with residential burglary, theft, intimidating a witness and first-degree terroristic threatening.

A witness identified Turner as one of the men who broke into a woman’s apartment at 3412 Sun Ave. and stole her 42-inch TV and other items Aug. 12. On Aug. 17 Turner went to the witness’ apartment, called her a “snitch” and threatened to shoot her in the face, Detective Vic Brooks of the Jonesboro Police Department said in a probable cause affidavit.

Turner was arrested Tuesday after an officer recognized him among a large crowd gathered outside an apartment in the same complex, Brooks said.

Terrence Cortez Williams, 18, was bound over to Craighead County Circuit Court on Aug. 18 after his arrest for residential burglary, theft and intimidating the same witness.

Blackman also found probable cause to charge Jermaine L. Wiley, 37, with theft greater than $2,500, misdemeanor theft and second-degree assault, also a misdemeanor.

Wiley attacked his former girlfriend outside her place of employment around 11 p.m. Tuesday, kicking her in the head, dumping the contents of her purse onto the parking lot and stealing her cell phone and car keys, Detective Chris Poe said. Wiley drove off in her 2006 Dodge Durango, recovered later off Race Street. Police found Wiley at another woman’s residence on Meador Road.

Neither Wiley nor Turner have permanent addresses.

Both were ordered to appear in Craighead County Circuit Court on Oct. 29.

—Keith Inman

Disorderly conduct trial set next week

JONESBORO — The misdemeanor trial of a man who was arrested for disorderly conduct while shooting video of a Jonesboro police traffic stop has been delayed for a week, assistant city attorney Carol Duncan said.

Matthew T. Harden, 26, 3917 Burdyshaw Drive, was arrested Aug. 17 after he called the officers Nazis and alleged they violated a woman’s civil rights by stopping her and searching both her and her car. Harden posted the video on YouTube, and the arrest has generated some criticism of the way officers Brian Arnold and James Flanigan handled Harden’s taunts.

Officer Benjamin Runnels said in an incident report that he initiated the traffic stop for speeding, then smelled “a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle.”

The case was delayed after Harden hired attorney Donn Mixon to represent him, Duncan said.

—Keith Inman

Sentences handed down in District Court

JONESBORO — A Jonesboro man received a 30-day jail sentence on Aug. 27 after he was found guilty of theft of property.

Willie Freeman Kelly Jr., 42, 1200 Hester St., was also ordered to perform 60 hours of public service for nonpayment of fines and failure to appear in court.

Craighead County District Judge Keith Blackman imposed $1,265 in fines and court costs, placed him on six months’ probation and ordered him to attend an anti-theft class. Because of previous convictions, Kelly now owes the court $5,200.

Other sentences handed down:

City of Jonesboro

• Wilbert E. Brown, 61, 250 Gee St., Jonesboro, failure to perform public service — 41⁄2 days in jail and $385 fine and costs; now owes $5,468.

• Debra A. Farmer, 33, 1610 North Madison St., Jonesboro, failure to perform public service — seven days in jail and $380 fine and costs; now owes $4,017.

• Benita M. Harrell, 25, 2216 Fairfield Drive, Jonesboro, noncompliance with a court order and nonpayment of fines — 13 days in jail and $710 fine and costs; now owes $2,870.

• Christopher W. Southard, 34, 157 Greene 705 Road, Jonesboro, driving on a suspended license, no liability insurance, nonpayment of fines and failure to perform public service — 11 days in jail, 20 hours of public service and $1,570 in fines and costs; now owes $2,866.

Craighead County

• Timothy Phillip Adams, 39, 409 Anderson Ave., Marked Tree, nonpayment of fines — seven days in jail and $505 fine and costs.

• Tommy J. Moody, 28, 1206 West Huntington Ave., Jonesboro, nonpayment of fines — three days in jail and $355 fine and costs.

• Lajeania Pierce, 34, 523 Plaza Court, Trumann, nonpayment of fines and failure to perform public service — 11⁄2 days in jail, 40 hours of public service and $640 in fines and costs; now owes $1,232.

Aug. 25

City of Jonesboro

• Timothy P. Adams, 39, 409 Anderson Ave., Marked Tree, nonpayment of fines — six days in jail, concurrent with another sentence, and $505 fine and court costs.

• Olanda L. Bender, 24, 902 West Huntington Ave., Jonesboro, driving on a suspended license and obstruction of governmental operations — two days in jail and $560 in fines and costs.

• Victoria A. Boyce, 22, Memphis, driving on a suspended license — two days in jail and $405 fine and costs.

• Carlos Allen Burns, 28, 1278 Greene 522 Road, Marmaduke, theft of property and hot check violation — three days in jail, 10 hours of public service, six months’ probation, anti-theft class, $1.91 in restitution and $660 in fines and costs.

• Angel Denise Cude, 38, 157 Greene 705 Road, Jonesboro, failure to perform public service — five days in jail and $385 fine and costs.

• Isaac A. Guerra, 31, 976 Sandino Drive, Jonesboro, no driver’s license — three days in jail and $375 fine and costs.

• Larry R. Hutson, 48, Jonesboro, failure to perform public service — five days in jail and $435 fine and costs; now owes $3,083.

• Janie Jo Ray Lawrence, 33, 403 South Gee St., Room 289, Jonesboro, public intoxication and refusal to submit to arrest — three days in jail, 20 hours of public service and $580 in fines and costs; now owes $3,980.

• Allen J. Lopez, 21, 507 South Second St., Paragould, hazardous driving and no driver’s license — three days in jail and $465 in fines and costs.

• Patrice L. Oliver, 20, 1815 Greenwood St., Jonesboro, failure to perform public service — nine days in jail and $305 fine and costs; now owes $5,295.

• Derric Anthony Reynolds, 49, 1404 Brookhaven Road, nonpayment of fines — four days in jail and $405 fine and costs; now owes $2,362.

• Laquinthia R. Steward, 26, 318 East Gordon St., Jonesboro, hazardous driving, driving on a suspended license and no liability insurance — two days in jail, 20 hours of public service and $495 in fines and costs; now owes $1,460.

• Bobby Lee Watson, 39, 213 Cedar St., Jonesboro, driving on a suspended license, no liability insurance and obstruction of governmental operations — two days in jail, 20 hours of public service and $935 in fines and costs; now owes $3,342.

• Ty Ramon Welch, 51, 420 East Gordon St., Jonesboro, nonpayment of fines and failure to perform public service — two days in jail, 40 hours of public service and $570 in fines and costs; now owes $836.

City of Brookland

• Oliver L. Robinson, 20, 4208 Aggie Road, Apt. 3, Jonesboro, driving while intoxicated (second offense) — seven days in jail, drug and alcohol safety class and $1,805 fine and costs.

—Keith Inman

JFD firefighters answer eight alarms

JONESBORO — The Jonesboro Fire Department responded to the following alarms during the 24-hour period ending at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

• At 9:32 p.m. Tuesday, 808 North Caraway Road, rubbish fire.

• At 11:24 a.m. Wednesday, 3506 Nestle Road, brush fire.

• At 3:58 p.m. Wednesday, 4401 Sarah St., false alarm.

Firefighters also responded to five medical assists.

Traffic stop leads to felony drug arrests

HOXIE — Two Jonesboro men are suspected of felony drug violations after their arrests near Hoxie on Saturday.

Wendell Williams posted a $25,000 bond, and Keadren Aviett posted a $5,000 bond after both bonds were set in Lawrence County Circuit Court on Monday. Addresses for both men were not available as of press time Wednesday.

According to police, the two men were in a vehicle northbound on U.S. 63 near Hoxie when it was stopped for driving left of center. During a search officers allegedly found one pound of marijuana hidden in the trunk. Both men were transported to the Lawrence County Jail.

Both Williams and Aviett are slated to appear in Lawrence County Circuit Court on Oct. 12.

—George Jared

Area woman faces charges of forgery

PARAGOULD — A Greene County woman was formally charged last month for her alleged involvement in fraudulent refunds made at Orscheln, where she was employed, according to Greene County Circuit Court documents.

Nicole Cleveland, 30, of Bard Road is facing 41 charges of second-degree forgery and one count of theft of property greater than $2,500.

Cleveland was questioned July 22 concerning fraudulent refunds that totaled $4,012.52, and she allegedly admitted to making 41 of the alleged 72 fraudulent transactions and keeping the money for herself to pay bills, according to the reasonable cause affidavit from the Paragould Police Department concerning her arrest.

The questioned documents were presented by Don Price, Orscheln loss prevention investigator.

The timeframe of the transactions ranged from Oct. 3, 2009, to July 2010, and a video showed evidence of criminal activity, according to the affidavit.

Cleveland allegedly said the names used to make the refunds were fictitious, according to the document. However, Detective Michael Addision stated in the affidavit that he found many of the names on the refund transactions were those of actual residents.

Second-degree forgery is class C felony, and theft of property is class D felony, according to the document.

—Wendy Miller

Greene men suspected of vehicle theft

PARAGOULD — Three Paragould men were arrested Monday in connection with the theft of a 1987 Camaro and a Yamaha scooter, authorities said.

Joshua Jason Merrell, 32, of South Third Avenue and Jeffrey Dale Wood, 48, of North Seventh Street are both suspected of felony vehicle theft and misdemeanor criminal trespass and criminal mischief. Terry Dennis Rogers, 52, of Mill Street is suspected of theft by receiving.

According to information released by the Greene County Sheriff’s Department, a resident on Greene 845 Road reported to Deputy Randy Sipes on Aug. 28 that the car and scooter were stolen. The homeowner reported both of the vehicles were inoperable.

The next day the homeowner reported to Deputy Rodney Newman the name of a person suspected in the theft. Newman spotted the suspect at a residence on Mill Street and stopped to talk to him.

Newman saw a car partially covered by a tarp on the property and apparently recognized the wheel style as that of a Camaro. Rogers walked up and reportedly gave his consent for Newman to look at the car. The plate on the car matched that reported by the homeowner, according to the document.

Rogers allegedly told deputies that Merrell had come by with the car and asked him to sell it.

Merrell was taken into custody and questioned by Lt. Bruce Drope on Monday. Drope said Merrell told him that he and Wood used Wood’s truck to steal the car and took it to Rogers’ house, but denied any knowledge about the scooter.

Rogers and Wood were taken into custody. Wood said Merrell had taken the scooter, Drope wrote.

Merrell is being held in the Greene County Detention Center in lieu of a $5,000 bond. Rogers and Wood were released on their own recognizance.

—Janie Ginocchio