Photo: Reynaldo Ochoa
An October trial date has been set for a Midway man who shot arrows at Baxter County deputies when they answered a violent domestic disturbance call.
Forty-six-year-old Reynaldo Ochoa is charged with two counts of criminal attempt to commit capital murder, first-degree assault on a family or household member, fleeing and three counts of terroristic threatening.
Ochoa made a short appearance in Baxter County Circuit Court Thursday by video hookup from the Baxter County Detention Center. He spent most of his time asking the court to direct his lawyer to meet with him. Ochoa is represented by the Public Defenders Office. Circuit Judge John Putman said someone would be meeting with Ochoa. At the conclusion of his appearance, Ochoa asked the judge to note his request for the meeting on the record and the judge told him the exchange had been taken down by the court reporter.
On March 10, deputies were summoned after Ochoa kicked in the door of a home along Arkansas Highway 178 West when a 74-year-old female refused him entry because he appeared to be intoxicated.
The woman said when Ochoa — who was identified as her step-nephew — arrived at her residence apparently under the influence, she ordered him off the property.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Ochoa had been living in the home with his relative.
When he gained entry to the residence, Ochoa was alleged to have been verbally abusive. The victim said he followed her to her bedroom where she retreated for her safety.
Once in the bedroom, Ochoa was reported to have forced the victim down on the bed and hovered over her while continuing his obscenity-laced verbal tirade.
The victim was finally able to call 911 but Ochoa grabbed the phone and disconnected the call. Dispatchers reported they were able to hear Ochoa yelling obscenities at the victim. The victim could be heard telling Ochoa to “get away from me” numerous times before the call was cut off.
The 911 dispatchers reconnected the call, but it was Ochoa, not the victim, on the other end. He threatened that if “someone with a badge” was dispatched to the scene, he intended to shoot them with arrows.
The two deputies who arrived on scene were alerted by dispatch that Ochoa had made threats toward lawmen.
At one point, Ochoa said he had an arrow pointed at one of the deputies. They took cover behind a minivan parked in the yard.
Ochoa made good on his threats and fired two arrows at the deputies from about 85 feet away.
Both arrows were reported to have barely missed their targets. The first arrow stuck in the ground, after traveling almost 100 feet, and the second went about 123 feet, before hitting a decorative plywood figure in the front yard.
After firing the two arrows, Ochoa was reported to have fled into the woods.
A number of additional deputies responded to the scene, the sheriff’s office helicopter was launched, and a dog team came from the state prison at Calico Rock. The dog team picked up Ochoas trail and made contact with him in a wooded area near the residence.
Ochoa was armed with a compound bow and arrows.
The dog team members took Ochoa into custody. He was reported to have threatened to kill the members of the team.
His bond is set at $500,000.
At the time of the arrest, Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery said Ochoa had a lengthy criminal history in California, including arrests for making terroristic threats, battery on a peace officer, domestic violence and escape or attempted escape.
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