Midway flame burning hole remains a mystery
After a second day of investigation, emergency personnel are no closer in determining the source of a hole reported early Monday morning in Midway with an orange flame shooting 10 to 12 feet into the air for about 45 minutes.
Baxter County Office of Emergency Services Director Jim Sierzchula said late Tuesday he and Midway Fire Chief Donald Tucker are still scratching their heads as they pursue all possible avenues to solve the mystery.
Sierzchula says there remains lots of speculation, but they are no closer to determining the source of the substance leading to the fire or what caused the opening in the ground near the base of a large billboard.
He says they have now ruled out any issues related to telephone lines.
Sierzchula says he is continuing to search for the history of the property where a former gas station was located nearby.
Earlier he said an employee of Black Hills Energy responded to the scene, reporting temperature readings of 1,200-1,600 degrees but confirming the source of the flame was not a gas line.
Sierzchula said he has been in contact with the National Weather Service pursuing the possibility of a lightening strike. However, photos from the NWS do not appear like the Midway hole.
Sierzchula said he has contacted the property owner who advised he had mowed in the area over the weekend and the hole was not there at that time.
Some have speculated perhaps the hole is the site of a meteor strike. But at this time, the hole and the fire remain a mystery.
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Vehicle reported stopped in middle of road, driver appeared unconscious; 2 arrested
Two people have been arrested and charged following a report of a vehicle stopped in the middle of the roadway on the morning of September 8th near the intersection of Marion County Roads 6010 and 6011. The initial report indicated a male subject was walking away from the parked vehicle.
According to the probable cause affidavit filed Friday, a Marion County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to the scene where he found a man later identified as 32-year-old Louis Hicks of Gassville in the driver’s seat of the vehicle appearing to be unconscious. A female, 28-year-old Ashley Taylor of Flippin, was discovered in the front passenger’s seat of the vehicle in a fetal position.
After several attempts to awaken Hicks, the Gassville man awoke asking the officer to point his light away from him.
Hicks told the officer the vehicle belonged to his friend and consented to a search.
During the search, the officer noted the license plate was extremely loosely attached to the rear lid of the vehicle. The VIN plate visible through the front glass of the vehicle was partially covered by a piece of paper. A further attempt to locate the VIN on the interior of the driver’s door was unsuccessful because it had been scratched off. After removing the obstruction from the plate and revealing the VIN, a check with the Arkansas Crime Information Center database indicated the vehicle was reported stolen in Pulaski County.
The two were arrested, with the affidavit indicating Hicks having been charged with felony theft by receiving. Online jail records with the Marion County Detention Center indicate Taylor also faces a felony theft by receiving charge.
Bonds for the two were set at $20,000 each.
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MH man charged after pursuing woman, running multiple vehicles off highway
A Mountain Home man with an open court case on charges of domestic battery and terroristic threatening in Marion County is now facing eight new charges following a harrowing incident on September 11th.
According to the probable cause affidavit, 40-year-old Thomas James Archey has been charged with felony counts of aggravated assault, first-degree endangering the welfare of a minor and fleeing/eluding in a motor vehicle. Archey also faces misdemeanor counts of harassment, violation of a no contact order, reckless driving, improper passing a vehicle on the left and disorderly conduct.
The charges stem from an incident reportedly beginning in Lakeview, when a female victim told law enforcement Archey attempted to run her vehicle off the road. She fled, observing Archey turning around to pursue her vehicle. She entered the state park at Lakeview, where Archey allegedly attempted to block her in.
The victim said she fled to a convenience store in Lakeview and then on to the Lakeview Police Department, as she continued to attempt to evade Archey.
She then left Lakeview believing she was no longer being pursued. Traveling in the southbound lane of State Highway 178, the victim approached Archey’s vehicle, and the Mountain Home man recognized her. The woman said Archey traveled into her lane in what she believed to be an attempt to hit her vehicle head-on. She took evasive action, with her vehicle traveling off the roadway to avoid a collision.
She told law enforcement later, she was “terrified” and in fear of her life and that of her infant daughter traveling with her.
At 2:30 that afternoon, Bull Shoals police responded to the woman’s call from the parking lot of a store where she was locked in her vehicle with he daughter, with Archey approaching.
As the woman provided a description of Archey and his vehicle, the Mountain Home man passed the officer at a
“very high rate of speed.” The officer observed the vehicle accelerate while passing four vehicles on a double yellow line, as well as a truck taking evasive action to avoid a head-on collision.
The officer terminated his pursuit noting his belief to continue would place other motorists in harm. The officer had already relayed Archey’s vehicle description to a Lakeview police officer in route to Bull Shoals.
Archey was arrested Saturday, with bond set at $25,000.
In February, Archey was arrested following a violent domestic battery incident in Bull Shoals Saturday when he is alleged to have assaulted a woman six months pregnant.
Archey fled the scene after the victim advised he “head butted” her in the face. He then struck her in the nose with his fist, while threatening to kill her. She said she was almost onto the front porch of her residence when Archey grabbed her and threw her off the raised driveway, a height of two to three feet.
Officers from three agencies assisted in a search for Archey with negative results. A BOLO was issued for Archey in Baxter, Marion and Boone counties.
Archey was arrested three days later and charged with felony counts of first-degree domestic battery involving a pregnant woman and terroristic threatening, along with a misdemeanor count of third-degree battery.
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Former store manager admits taking money from the business
Danny Inskeep, former manager of a retail store at Midway, pled no contest to charges he had stolen almost $7,000 from the business.
The plea came during a session of Baxter County Circuit Court Thursday.
The 53-year-old Inskeep was charged with stealing store deposits July 14th and 15th last year. The two deposits totaled $6,925.
According to the probable cause affidavit filed in the case, Inskeep was captured on the store’s video surveillance system cutting open bank bags used to make deposits for the business and taking the money out of the bags.
A bank audit showed both deposits were never made. Inskeep falsely reported making both of the missing deposits.
Inskeep was given five years probation and ordered to repay the business for the two missing deposits. He was sentenced under provisions of Act 346, meaning if he stays out of trouble during his probation period, he can apply to the courts to have his record sealed.
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MH man injured, cited following 1-vehicle accident
A Mountain Home man was injured last Sunday afternoon from a one-vehicle accident in rural Mountain Home. According to the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office, 27-year-old Zachary Alexander was transported by ambulance to Baxter Regional Medical Center from the accident scene on County Road 28.
Alexander was traveling southbound when his vehicle crossed the center line and left the east side of the roadway. The vehicle came back across the road, went off the west side and came to rest after striking a tree. A BRMC spokesperson said Monday afternoon Alexander was not listed as a patient at the hospital.
Alexander was cited for careless or prohibited driving, driving while intoxicated and driving left of center following the 4:54 p.m. accident. His vehicle’s damage is estimated at $3,000.
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