A Marion County man has been arrested for an incident that happened in December at the scene of a brush fire at his residence where he threatened a fire chief and claimed to be “affiliated.” Thirty-nine-year-old Christopher Wayne Smith of Bull Shoals is facing three charges for the incident.
The probable cause affidavit from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office indicates the brush fire occurred Dec. 29. Bull Shoals Fire Chief Brent Mitchell and a Marion County deputy told Smith he would be receiving a citation for burning during excessive winds. Upon hearing this, Smith became aggressive and made threats towards Chief Mitchell’s life and property.
Smith said the fire was started by the children living his house. The deputy noted there were four children in the home when he arrived.
Chief Mitchell said he would need to take pictures of the scene for court to which Smith objected and invaded the fire chief’s personal space, threatened him with bodily harm and told him he is “affiliated.”
Smith is facing a felony charge of terroristic threatening and misdemeanor charges of attempt to influence a public servant and unlawful burning. He is free after posting $20,000.
PREVIOUS ARRESTS
Smith has two previous arrests in Marion County for aggravated assault, both in 2020.
The first was in January of that year when he punched a woman in the face and put a gun to her head in front of children. The woman was running out of the residence with Smith chasing her law enforcement arrived.
In May of 2020, Smith was arrested again after his child was playing with his girlfriend’s child. They were tossing a kitten back and forth when the kitten scratched Smith’s child. Smith became upset, started breaking things in the house and threatened to kill his girlfriend and her child if she called the police. She went to pack her clothes and Smith grabbed a large knife and threatened to slit her throat.
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