Two Baxter County men were arrested after a weekend disturbance at a Norfork residence. According to Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery, 40-year-old Jeremy Dillard of Norfork was booked into the detention center Sunday afternoon on a felony count of possession of firearms by certain persons, a misdemeanor count of third-degree domestic battery and two misdemeanor counts of first-degree criminal mischief, and he was released nearly an hour-and-a-half later after posting $5,000 bond. Twenty-seven-year-old Christopher Smith of Mountain Home was booked on a felony count of aggravated assault, and he remains in custody in lieu of $5,000 bond.
A disturbance was reported on Second Street in Norfork to the Baxter County 911 Operations Center indicating a firearm was involved in the incident. When deputies arrived, Dillard told them he and his wife were arguing outside their residence after he questioned where she had been. The argument allegedly turned physical, and Dillard used force to inflict injury on her. Another female with Dillard’s wife left the scene and called some friends to intervene in the altercation. Dillard says a blue Jeep later pulled up in front of the residence, and a man identified as Smith exited the vehicle carrying a metal pipe. Dillard reports he was approached by Smith but was able to deter him, and Smith began to run away still carrying the pipe which he subsequently dropped.
Smith allegedly told a woman inside another vehicle to “get the gun.” The woman removed a .223 rifle from the vehicle, but after she dropped it, Dillard picked it up and used it to smash out the tail lamps and caused other damage to the other vehicles. Deputies determined no rounds were fired from the rifle, but Dillard is prohibited from possessing or handling a firearm as a convicted felon.
Other witnesses gave statements to deputies verifying much of what was alleged. Deputies seized the rifle and pipe and took them into evidence, and they then transported Dillard and Smith to the detention center. Both men are scheduled to appear in Baxter County Circuit Court.
Christopher Smith
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