A Leola man has been arrested following allegations that he drew a weapon and fired it at his girlfriend. Arkansas police arrested the man early in the morning of May 19 and has been charged with felony assault. As with many people accused of committing violent crimes, the man is being held in a county jail in lieu of $2,500 bond pending further proceedings.
Police say the 35-year-old man was apprehended around 1:30 a.m. after county sheriffs received word of an alleged domestic dispute. Police were advised they would need to use a boat to reach the campground where the altercation was allegedly taking place. The 35-year-old girlfriend said the man had left for a job interview but had not returned to pick her up until she found him wandering in the woods.
The conversation quickly turned threatening, according to her. She told police she hid behind a tree with a machete while her boyfriend argued with her from his boat, which was on the water. He returned to land and allegedly fired a shot from his gun in her direction. Police returned the woman to the boat ramp, where they apprehended her boyfriend.
Violent crimes, particularly felonies, carry harsh penalties in Arkansas. If the man is found guilty, he could face upwards of six years in prison. However, domestic disturbances can be difficult to prosecute as they are often emotionally-charged and complicated by both parties. The man’s defense team will review the facts of the case, including both accounts of what happened, before working to build a case against the charges when he appears in court again.
Source: arkansasonline.com, “Leola man arrested after report of assault“, Grace Brown, May 22, 2018