A Missouri man shot by police at the midtown location of Caseys General Store in Mountain Home in late March is reported to have wanted to commit suicide by cop.
Forty-one-year-old Kevin Donovan of Adrian, Missouri appeared during a session of Baxter County Circuit Monday and pled not guilty to the charges against him.
He is an inmate in the Baxter County Detention Center with bond set at $1,000,000.
Donovans wife, who was at the scene of the shooting, told police that her husband had indicated he had no intention of going back to jail.
She said, I believe Kevin was going to force a gunfight with the police, no matter the outcome.
In addition, Donovans wife said she believed it was likely Kevin was under the influence of methamphetamine at the time of the encounter.
The incident began when a representative of a Missouri bail bond company asked an agent from First Arkansas Bail Bonds in Mountain Home to assist him in taking Donovan into custody.
The two bail bond agents located Donovan riding a motorcycle and followed him in separate vehicles. He pulled into the Caseys parking lot and stopped at one of the gas pumps.
An officer from the Mountain Home Police Department (MHPD) arrived at the scene to assist with the capture of Donovan if necessary.
When the Missouri bail bondsman confronted Donovan along with the MHPD officer, Donovan quickly indicated he would not submit without a fight.
Donovan is alleged to have become increasingly aggressive and belligerent. The MHPD officer told Donovan he needed to comply with the bail bondsmans request, but Donovan refused.
At one point, Donovan is reported to have shouted that he was not going anywhere.
Another MHPD officer arrived on the scene to assist in what was becoming a very tense situation.
Donovan began walking west out of the Caseys parking lot and onto a grassy area between the lot and the driveway leading to Arvest Bank.
He is alleged to have pulled a .380-caliber pistol from his jacket, and when he saw officers and the two bail bond company representatives moving toward him, he fired his handgun.
In addition to the bail bond agents, an Arkansas State Police trooper and the two MHPD officers were reported to be on the scene.
The MHPD officers drew their weapons and attempted to talk Donovan into dropping his gun, but he refused.
At one point, he is alleged to have told the officers, You are going to have to kill me.
After Donovan shot at the officers and bail bond agents, and refused to put down his gun, a Mountain Home policeman returned fire and hit Donovan who went down.
Officers rendered aid to the wounded man until an ambulance arrived.
He was first taken to Baxter Regional Hospital and then transported to a Springfield hospital.
The records also show after being treated for the gunshot wound he received in Mountain Home, he was taken into custody by the Missouri Department of Corrections.
Missouri court records appear to show an open criminal case charging Donovan with possession of methamphetamine, unlawful use of a weapon, and simultaneous possession of weapons and drugs.
The Missouri charges were filed after a search warrant was served at his residence located along West 5th Street in Adrian.
He was brought from the DeKalb County Regional Jail in Missouri to Arkansas and booked into the Baxter County Detention Center at 8:17 p.m. September 15.
The charges filed against Donovan stemming from the incident are five counts of criminal attempt to commit capital murder, resisting arrest and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
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