While the search continues for 30-year-old James Monroe Smith of Fulton County, an affidavit filed Tuesday provides details on the incident Friday morning touching off a manhunt over two counties.Based on information from the 16th Judicial District Drug Task Force that Smith was transporting three bags of methamphetamine and was armed with a .9mm pistol, Fulton County Sheriff Al Roork and a deputy proceed to an address on Asher Road near Salem.As they arrived at the residence, Smith was observed entering a vehicle in the driveway, occupied by a female passenger.
Sheriff Roork parked his patrol car at the entrance to the driveway in an attempt to block Smith from leaving. The sheriff then exited his vehicle and approached Smith’s with his weapon drawn. As he ordered Smith out of his vehicle, the suspect backed his car at a high rate of speed into the sheriff’s unit, pushing it toward the deputy.
Sheriff Roork, fearing for his safety and his deputy’s, fired one round at close range into the door of Smith’s vehicle.
Smith then pulled his car forward, and the deputy circled around the sheriff’s vehicle on foot to assist Roork. The two law officers found themselves in the tightly contained driveway, as Smith again backed his vehicle at a high rate of speed toward them. Sheriff Roork observed the front of Smith’s vehicle strike or come within inches of striking his deputy.
Roork fired a second round at close range into the driver’s door of Smith’s vehicle. Smith managed to exit the driveway at a high rate of speed through a ditch and onto Asher Road. The two officers pursued the suspect at speeds over 90 miles per hour. Sheriff Roork terminated the pursuit after it came close to the Thayer city limits.
The search continued later Friday in the Mammoth Spring/Thayer and Oregon County area, with assistance from Baxter County law enforcement, including the department’s helicopter, along with the Arkansas Department of Correction K9 team.
Over the weekend, the Spring River Chronicle noted the female, 41-year-old Billie Jo Roush, was in custody. Details on her capture have not been released.
Smith is considered to be armed and dangerous. He is described as 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighs 173 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes.
His last known location, discovered after authorities were able to ping one of the suspects’ phones, was at Thayer.
The warrant for Smith’s arrest notes he is charged with three felony counts of aggravated assault, and one count each of first-degree criminal mischief and fleeing, as well as being a habitual offender. The bond was set at $100,000.
According to the National Crime Information Center database, Smith has been found guilty or plead guilty to four or more felony offenses.
Anyone with information about Smith’s whereabouts is asked to call the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office at 870-895-2601 or the Oregon County Sheriff’s Office at 417-778-6611.
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