A Missouri man shot and wounded by police on the grounds of the midtown Mountain Home location of Casey’s General Store in late March last year appeared in Baxter County Circuit Court recently.
Forty-one-year-old Kevin Donovan of Adrian, Missouri has been seeking a bond reduction.
Donovan is currently an inmate in the Baxter County Detention Center with bond set at $1,000,000.
In a recent appearance, Donovan’s attorney, Cody Dowden of Bentonville, argued that a mental examination had been requested for his client, but, after five months, no date had even been set to have Donovan evaluated.
Dowden said the facts that no examination had been scheduled, and that there is no way Donovan could make his current bond have combined to leave his client in jail and “in limbo, unable to make any progress in his case.”
Circuit Judge John Putman said during the hearing in late July that he did not want to lower the bond but asked if Prosecutor David Ethredge could work with the Department of Human Services to get the examination done.
On Monday, it was reported the prosecutor’s office has been able to get a date set for the state sponsored mental examination. It will take place September 1.
Donovan’s family has also arranged for a private examination that will take place later this month in Fayetteville.
Dowden repeated his request to have Donovan’s bond lowered so he could get out of jail, allowing his family to transport him to the appointment for the private examination in Fayetteville.
Judge Putman said because of the charges against Donovan, he wanted the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office to transport him to and from the examinations.
LONG WAITS NOT NEW
The long wait necessary to get a person evaluated and a report on his or her mental condition back to the courts is nothing new.
The delays are due to long standing problems, such as limited bed space, within Arkansas’ less-than-adequate mental health system.
The system has been stretched well beyond capacity for years, and there is no indication that things will change in the near future.
In all, the process has been taking at least six months to be completed, leaving people in jail without trial or treatment.
All courtroom activity will stop until reports on the psychological exams are received.
SUICIDE BY COP
Donovan’s 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, Donovan’s 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 parking lot at the Casey’s General Store on U.S. Highway 62 East 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 during the encounter. The MHPD officer told Donovan he needed to comply with the bail bondsman’s 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 stand off.
Donovan began walking west out of the Casey’s parking lot and onto a grassy area between the lot and the driveway leading to an Arvest Bank branch.
He is alleged to have pulled a .380-caliber pistol from his jacket, and when he saw officers and the two bail bond company agents 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, 2021.
Donovan faces five counts of criminal attempt to commit capital murder, resisting arrest and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
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