On May 28, 2020, at approximately 9:25 A.M., the sheriff's department was contacted in reference to an illegal dumping complaint on the side of Younger Access road. Lieutenant Dammon McGilton responded to the area along with Game and Fish Sergeant John Crisman. Officers located spoiled grain, chicken litter, burned rafters, bed springs, and other trash at the dumpsite. Some of the trash was on the county road right of way. Officers canvassed the neighborhood and found a witness that stated a dark blue flatbed truck pulling a dump bed tractor-trailer came through at around 7:00 A.M.
At approximately 10:13 A.M., Lieutenant Dammon McGilton and Sergeant John Crisman located the vehicle and dump trailer along with other sacks of spoiled grain at a residence on the corner of Church Road and Highway 14 East in Saint James. The location is only a few miles from the dumpsite. Officers were able to locate the residence by tracks of mud and skid marks from the site to the residence. Officers approached the yard of the residence where a male was present in the yard working on the blue truck. As Lieutenant McGilton got close to the male, he took off running and jumped into the one-ton flatbed truck. Lieutenant McGilton opened the door and attempted to apprehend the male, who McGilton recognized as Billy Ray WILLIS. WILLIS is a wanted Parole Absconder, who has been wanted since October of 2018, for aggravated assault and fleeing.
WILLIS led Lieutenant McGilton and Sergeant Crisman on a pursuit northbound on Church road. At the intersection of Lindsey Hill Road and Church Road, WILLIS stopped, put his vehicle in reverse and attempted to ram Sergeant Crisman. Sergeant Crisman was able to maneuver his vehicle and get away from WILLIS. WILLIS then turned left onto Lindsey Hill Road and continued for a block or so and stopped again. WILLIS put his vehicle in reverse and went toward Lieutenant McGilton's vehicle at a high rate of speed. Lieutenant McGilton put his vehicle into reverse and began backing, but WILLIS was able to catch McGilton and struck the front end of his police vehicle in an attempt to disable it. The bed of the truck went over the top of the push bumper and into the hood. Lieutenant McGilton exited his vehicle in the middle of Lindsey Hill road and WILLIS went into reverse again attempting to strike McGilton and struck the patrol vehicle a second time before taking off. Lieutenant McGilton discharged his firearm into the back rear dual tires to disable the tires, but WILLIS managed to continue fleeing. Lieutenant McGilton and Sergeant Crisman continued the pursuit. WILLIS turned into a residence in the 2900 block of Lindsey Hill Road while both his and Lieutenant McGilton's vehicle began being disabled but was still functional. A PIT maneuver was administered by McGilton in an effort to end the pursuit safely.
The pursuit was ended at that point and officers attempted to handcuff WILLIS. After a brief struggle, WILLIS was taken into custody without further incident. The Arkansas State Police responded to work the accident. Both vehicles were towed from the scene. Billy Ray WILLIS is being charged with two counts of aggravated assault on a police officer, felony fleeing with property damage, resisting arrest, leaving the scene of the accident, driving on a suspended license, no proof of insurance, reckless driving, fictitious tags, and littering. He also has a no bond absconder warrant out of the board of parole.
*ATTORNEY GENERAL ALERT: *Scammers Create Frenzy with Fake Government Checks**
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*LITTLE ROCK* As Congress works to complete the COVID-19 economic stimulus package, con artists have also been working non-stop to identify new ways to take advantage of Arkansans concerned about the economy. These scammers impersonate government officials and reach out to Arkansans by phone, email or social media demanding the victim's personal and banking information to verify their eligibility for the government's stimulus check.
Bad actors come out in bad situations and will do anything to make a quick buck on the backs of concerned Arkansans, said Attorney General Rutledge. The federal government will never reach out asking for personal and banking information in order to confirm your eligibility for payment.
Attorney General Rutledge has provided the following tips to keep you and your pocketbook safe.
* Only rely on official government websites (.gov) for economic relief information.
* Never give out your personal information over the telephone or email.
* When information becomes available, the Attorney Generals _website [ https://arkansasag.gov/ ]_ will direct you to reliable sources.
Arkansas residents encountering someone demanding personal information to receive federal funds or other assistance should immediately contact the Arkansas Attorney Generals Office by visiting _ArkansasAG.gov [ https://arkansasag.gov/ ]_ or call (800) 482-8982.
*About Attorney General Leslie Rutledge*
Leslie Carol Rutledge is the 56th Attorney General of Arkansas. Elected on November 4, 2014, and sworn in on January 13, 2015, she is the first woman and first Republican in Arkansas history to be elected as Attorney General. She was resoundingly re-elected on November 6, 2018. Since taking office, she has significantly increased the number of arrests and convictions against online predators who exploit children and con artists who steal taxpayer money through Social Security Disability and Medicaid fraud. Further, she has held Rutledge Roundtable meetings and Mobile Office hours in every county of the State each year and launched a Military and Veterans Initiative. She has led efforts to roll back government regulations that hurt job creators, fight the opioid epidemic, teach internet safety, combat domestic violence and make the office the top law firm for Arkansans. Rutledge serves as co-chairs of the National Association of Attorneys General Veterans Affairs Committee, re-established and co-chairs the National Association of Attorneys General Committee on Agriculture and was the former Chairwoman of the National Association of Attorneys General Southern Region. As the former Chairwoman of the Republican Attorneys General Association, she remains active on the Executive Board.
A native of Batesville, she is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. Rutledge clerked for the Arkansas Court of Appeals, was Deputy Counsel for former Governor Mike Huckabee, served as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in Lonoke County and was an Attorney at the Department of Human Services before serving as Counsel at the Republican National Committee. Rutledge and her husband, Boyce, have one daughter. The family has a home in Pulaski County and a farm in Crittenden County.
Here is the link to the Attorney Generals website in reference to Identify theft and protections.
Jason VanVleet
Wanted for absconding and fleeing from officers is now in Custody.
VanVleet had made several threats of harming Police Officers or anyone that was helping Law Enforcement to locate him.
It was reported to the Stone County sheriff's Department that VanVleet was armed with a .45 caliber pistol.
The first contact with VanVleet was made around 9:00 a.m. when Chief Deputy Zach Alexander entered a trailer house off Persimmon Lane. VanVleet was hiding underneath the trailer and took off running.
Mountain View Police Officer Cody Lee and his K9 Falco, along with the Chief Resource Officer Keenan Glenn picked up the track which went around the trailer and into the woods west of the residence.
At that time the Stone County Sheriff's Department started receiving phone calls from individuals stating that they had seen VanVleet in the woods close to where the foot pursuit started. Lieutenant Dammon McGilton with the Stone County Sheriff's Department noticed VanVleet dunk in behind a house. McGilton began to chase VanVleet on foot chasing him through a creek bed. VanVleet was met by Mike Tharp, Brad Breeding, and Keenan Glenn once he crossed the creek that McGilton has chased him to. Officers were able to take VanVleet into Custody after VanVleet resisted for a short time without further incident.
Stone County Sheriff's Department wants to Thank the Mountain View Police Department, The Arkansas State Police, the Arkansas Game and Fish commission and the Arkansas Parole and Probation, and Chief Glenn with the Mountain View School District Police Department for their assistance.
The Stone County sheriffs office is now accepting applications for a female dispatcher jailer position pick up an application at the jail. Any questions contact Jail administrator Stephen Williams.
See the employment tab for an application
Chili dinner and pie and silent auction
Saturday January 25th 2020 at 5:00 p.m. at the Stone County Fairgrounds.
Sponsored by the Wives of Armor group of Stone County
Tickets are only $5 each
Stolen vehicle has been found. More information to come as we get it. Thank you all for your assistance.
***STOLEN VEHICLE****
We have a 2010 Toyota Camary Green in color with Arkansas License plate 914 VVL. Stolen from Fifty-Six missionary baptist church tonight sometime between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. The vehicle has damage to both the left and right rear fenders and also to the passenger side front bumper cover. If anyone has any information on the whereabouts of this vehicle please contact the STONE COUNTY SHERIFF's OFFICE at 870-269-3825.