Matthew Ryan Dove
A man observed stopped at the scene of an earlier accident was later located in possession of a stolen vehicle and arrested Tuesday afternoon off Tucker Cemetery Road.
Thirty-one-year-old Matthew Ryan Dove faces felony charges of theft by receiving ($25,000 or more), first-degree criminal mischief and possession of drug paraphernalia. Dove also received citations for misdemeanor marijuana possession and drug paraphernalia. He also faces a habitual offender penalty enhancement.
According to an affidavit from the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office, an off-duty Arkansas Game & Fish Commission officer viewed a man, later identified as Dove, driving away from a previously wrecked vehicle in a 2021 red GMC Sierra that had front-end damage.
The officer followed the truck to a gas station, where the plates were run through a law-enforcement database, which revealed the truck had been reported stolen in Little Rock. Video footage from the gas station allowed authorities to identify the driver as Dove, who is on active supervision by probation and parole.
Authorities deployed a drone in the area of an address on file for Dove and located the pickup on the property, partially obscured by a tarp. Authorities removed a barricade made from tree limbs and wire fencing from the driveway and located the truck, which had damage to the driver’s side bumper and the built-in OnStar device had been tampered with to prevent the truck from being located via GPS.
Authorities located Dove at the residence and during a search of his person located a glass pipe with white reside, a glass pipe with marijuana residue, small baggie containing a green substance believed to be marijuana, as well as two baggies with white residue believed to be methamphetamine.
Dove allegedly admitted he had been in operation of the vehicle on several occasions and “was attempting to conceal it on the property, so he wouldn’t get in trouble for having it.”
A criminal background check revealed Dove had at least three previous felony convictions, which qualifies him for the penalty enhancement.
According to Captain Jeff Lewis of the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office, the original accident involved an incident where the vehicle’s driver fled on foot before authorities arrived. Authorities believe they know the driver in that accident and will be following up with the suspect later. He adds there was no manhunt to pursue the person.
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