By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
A dispute between neighbors took a serious turn Tuesday night when a child was shot through his stomach.
The St. Francis County Sheriff's Department reported Steven C. Drummond, 23, of Colt, allegedly fired a shot into the home of Kenneth and Tina Dilks at 6307 Highway 306 West in the Pine Tree area near Colt after he had reportedly argued with Mrs. Dilks earlier in the day over a domestic problem. The shooting incident occurred just before 10:30 p.m.
SFCSD Investigator Herbert Neighbors said Drummond, who lived across the highway from the Dilks' home, told police he fired a shot in the air with a .12 gauge pump shotgun. However, the slug from that gun was found inside the dining room of the Dilks' home after their son, Bobby Dilks, age 9, was shot through his stomach. Neighbors said the slug passed through the boy's stomach from right to left.
The boy's father was enroute to the hospital with his son when he met the ambulance and transferred the boy to medical personnel. The child was then airlifted from a location in Colt to LeBonheur Children's Medical Center in Memphis where he immediately underwent surgery, and is listed in critical condition today in the hospital's Intensive Care Unit.
Neighbors said Drummond is charged with committing a terroristic act because he allegedly shot into a house, causing an injury. "We knew that a new law had been passed that covers drive-by shootings, and shootings such as this. It's a Class Y felony, which carries a penalty of 40 years to life in prison," Neighbors said. Additional charges may be pending.
The suspect is being held in the St. Francis County Jail and was scheduled to appear in St. Francis County District Court this afternoon.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
A new law enforcement database will soon be expanded to include information on hazardous materials.
The announcement was made by U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln.
The Arkansas JailNet program is due to be operational next month in all 75 Arkansas counties, allowing law enforcement agencies to access information arrests and criminal records. The JailNet program is being upgraded to include the "E-Plan" program, a federally-sponsored database providing information on hazardous materials at industrial sites.
"It would be very helpful," said St. Francis County Sheriff Dave Parkman. "Any information we can get is certainly helpful to us.
"Right now I don't know all that is entailed in that. But we're just now getting into the JailNet system. Our people have been off to be trained for that program, and shortly we will be familiar with it."
Forrest City Police Chief Clarence McNeary also said it would be useful.
"Any information will be beneficial, especially when these things get out of control -- as we well know, with that truck out at the rest stop."
Last week a truck hauling hazardous material first began leaking and then caught fire at an Interstate 40 rest area near Forrest City. The incident caused brief evacuations in the area, including homes, apartments, two school campuses and a hospital.
"The more information the better," said McNeary, speaking about both the E-Plan and JailNet. "Information is the life blood of law enforcement."
The E-Plan system will allow authorized personnel instant access to federal Environmental Protection Agency data about chemicals stored at industrial sites around the country, site maps, profiles of nearby towns and sensitive areas at risk of contamination.
JailNet, which was unveiled in January and will become operational in the next month, will create a central repository of information on individuals booked into Arkansas jails, including photographs, sex offender status and criminal histories. The system searches for outstanding warrants from other jurisdictions when inmates are booked or released.
According Lincoln, providing E-Plan information through JailNet will pave the way for a more expansive information-sharing system for law enforcement and emergency response.
"With JailNet and E-Plan, Arkansas is creating a comprehensive information system that will enhance public safety, saving lives and property," she said. "These programs will make it easier for our law enforcement agencies, firefighters and emergency responders to do their jobs effectively, and that's good news for the communities they serve."
The Forrest City Water Department has received two of its new pickup trucks, and the third can be expected within the next two weeks.
That message was delivered to members of the Forrest City Water Commission Tuesday during their regular monthly meeting by FCWD Manager Jim Beazley.
Beazley said the department received the two Dodge pickups last week, and should be receiving the third new truck after a dump bed is installed.
In other business, Beazley told commissioners that the department had received a $20,000 deduction on the painting of the Kittle Road water tank when the painting crew could not complete the job due to damage to the interior roof of the tank. According to Beazley, rust damage was found after the roof was sand blasted to prepare it for painting. Beazley told commissioners last night that the replacing of the roof could wait until next year, but at that time the commission would have two options facing them.
"There's basically two ways that we can go at this when we get ready to buy the new roof. We can go with aluminum, which may be more expensive up front but will give us an indefinite lifespan, or we can go back with steel like we had and make the repairs as necessary to give it an extended lifespan," said Beazley.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
A Regional Transporta-tion Summit is scheduled for this Thursday and Friday, June 27 and 28, in Helena at the Delta Cultural Center.
Gov. Mike Huckabee will be the keynote speaker for the event, which will begin at about 4:45 p.m. Thursday at the Cultural Center Visitor's Center at 141 Cherry Street. The Friday session will begin at 7:30 a.m. in the Cultural Center's Eagle Room, at the corner of Missouri and Cherry streets.
Plans for the region's transportation system, as well as the outlining of a Delta Regional Authority transportation program, will top the agenda.
"Transportation in our region must be a top priority, and it is with the Delta Regional Authority," said Pete Johnson, DRA Federal co-chair. Johnson will also be a speaker at the summit.
The Delta Regional Authority is a federal-state partnership serving a 240 county/parish area in an eight state region. It is designed to remedy severe and chronic economic distress by stimulating economic development.
"Highway transportation is an enormous key to progress for our Delta region," Johnson said. "The connection between transportation and economic improvement has been proven in study after study. All of us must support the goal of improved transportation for this region."
Steve Jones Chevrolet, located at 3600 N. Washington, is inviting everyone to its grand opening celebration.
The celebration will take place from Thursday, June 27, through Monday, July 1. The hours will be from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m.
A ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, June 29, at 11 a.m. There will be refreshments Saturday.
Arkansas State Police seized a large amount of illegal drugs from a vehicle stopped for a traffic violation Tuesday evening on Interstate 40 near Forrest City.
According to arrest reports on file at the St. Francis County Sheriff's Department, troopers stopped a 2002 Chrysler Concorde after the driver nearly rearended a tractor-trailer truck at the eastbound 247 mile marker about 6:30 p.m.
A subsequent search of the car revealed 350 pounds of marijuana inside the vehicle's trunk.
The driver of the car, Marquita Frazier, 21, of Cleveland, Ohio, is charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, criminal impersonation, no driver's license and following too close.
Two passengers in Frazier's vehicle were also arrested. Wilhelmenia Owens, 42, Warrensville Heights, Ohio, is charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, permitting an unauthorized person to drive and obstructing governmental operations. Also arrested was Stephan Kent, 41, of Cleveland, Ohio, on a charge of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver
The three were scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in St. Francis County District Court.