A Gassville man, 54-year-old Larry Eugene Bell, was booked into the Baxter County jail Monday on three felony charges, as well as 11 misdemeanor offenses.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the charges stem from an incident in August 2017 in Midway.
Bell appeared in Baxter County Circuit Court in 2017 to answer to the charges listing himself as homeless at the time and entering a not guilty plea. He was ordered to reappear in November 2017.
Records indicate Bell had a failure to appear to these charges, was picked up and re-booked into the Baxter County Detention Center after being released from prison where he had been held regarding other cases.
Last August, Arkansas State Police Corporal Jackie Stinnett was sitting stationary at the junction of State Highways 5 and 126 when he noticed a van with very dark tinted windows drive through the parking lot of a gas station to avoid the intersection.
The trooper pulled out to follow the vehicle when the driver made a fast turn onto a country road and accelerated his speed. The trooper came within sight of the fleeing vehicle in time to see the driver throw two plastic bags out of the window.
The suspect stopped after a short distance and the trooper placed the driver in custody. The trooper put the suspect in his patrol car and then drove back and retrieved the plastic bags that had been thrown out of the window during the chase. One of the bags contained suspected methamphetamine and one contained pills identified as morphine.
When the trooper inventoried the vehicle, he found a small amount of marijuana, Xanax pills and a marijuana smoking pipe.
The driver was identified as Bell. His driver’s license was found to be suspended, and he also had an active warrant issued in Baxter County.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Bell failed the standard sobriety test. He did take a breath test, but refused to give a urine sample.
Bell was booked on drug-related charges and a number of traffic offenses including driving while intoxicated and careless and prohibited driving.
His original bond was set at $10,000.
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