Five teenagers have been arrested in connection with a series of crimes committed earlier this month.
Investigators with the Forrest City Police Department began making arrests in connection with the cases on Nov. 17 when a search warrant was executed at a residence where one of the suspects lives. Inside that residence, police found property that had been reported stolen from Game Trader on Cleveland Street.
Four 15-year-old males were arrested in connection with the Game Trader commercial burglary which was reported on Nov. 14.
Three of the four suspects were also charged in connection with an aggravated robbery that occurred outside the Sonic Drive-In on Nov. 14 when a carhop was robbed at gunpoint. The teenage worker told police she was taking an order to a car when she was approached by the suspects who were wearing ski masks. After taking the money, the suspects fled on foot through a nearby alley.
Two of the three suspects were charged as juveniles, and one of them was charged as an adult after it was learned that he had also allegedly been involved with additional aggravated robberies. That robbery also was reported on Nov. 14, and occurred shortly after a police officer had left the business. The suspect was wearing a ski mask about 1:40 a.m. when he pointed a gun at a cashier and demanded money from the register.
Three of the 15-year-old suspects arrested by police are facing juvenile charges in connection with the incidents while the fourth 15-year-old suspect, Willie Lockett Jr., of 1421 N. Division, Apt. 123, Forrest City, has been charged as an adult and bound over to circuit court on the charges.
He was released on a bond of his own recognizance, according to court records. Lockett was charged as an adult after it was learned that he was involved in the aggravated robberies at the Sonic Drive-In, Flash Market and the burglary at Game Trader, along with other offenses, according to police officials.
The 19-year-old suspect, Emanuel Griffin, of 842 S. Rosser St., Forrest City, was also charged with aggravated robbery in connection with the Flash Market robbery.
According to a spokesperson at the FCPD, "There are indications that this group has also been involved in other robberies and burglaries in the Forrest City area. The investigation is still continuing in connection with these other cases."
A Colt man was arrested on drug charges Wednesday night when officers with the St. Francis County Sheriff's Department and the First Judicial District Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at his home.
John Thomas Childress, 27, of Colt, is charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia.
According to police records, "a confidential informant was sent to the residence to make a controlled purchase" of marijuana the day before the raid. When police searched the home, they found "marked money" that had been used to buy the drugs along with individually wrapped bags of marijuana and scales used to weigh the drug. A total of 14 ounces of marijuana were found inside the home, which is also located within 1,000 feet of a church. Police also confiscated about $2,369 from Childress.
Childress' bond is set at $20,000, and he was scheduled to appear in St. Francis County District Court this afternoon.
Heroic efforts by Forrest City firefighters may have saved the life of an elderly Forrest City man last week.
According to a report from the Forrest City Fire Department, 77-year-old Melvin Smith, 729 Walker Street, was injured when a fire started at his home at close to 5 p.m. Wednesday. The report said that the fire began after food was left unattended on the stove. When firefighters arrived at the scene, they were notified that someone might be inside the house.
According to the report, Smith was found in the bathroom of the house by firefighters Frank Farrell and Marvin Dale. The two pulled him from the house, and after getting him outside, firefighters Jeremy Sharp, Jimmy Sandage, Brian Kittler and Bryan Harris all began performing CPR. Sharp, Sandage and Kittler continued to perform CPR as Smith was transported to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Forrest City.
"You can't really say enough about these guys. They work as a team and they simply do an outstanding job," said FCFD Chief Dan Curtner.
Officials with BMH-FC said this morning that Smith was transferred to the Burn Unit at Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock. Information on Smith's condition was not available at press time.
The local Emergency Food and Shelter board will meet at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, in the quorum court room at the St. Francis County Courthouse. All final reports from charitable organizations are due at that time.
A Forrest City man has been arrested for allegedly attacking a woman in her home.
Gloria J. Young reported to sheriff's deputies that at about 4:35 a.m. this morning, a man identified as Grover Key entered her home on County Road 231. She alleged that he stomped on her stomach and then struck and cut her. She had a black eye and a cut on her hand, and according to the Sheriff Department's report was taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital. There was no information on her condition.
Key, 32, of 517 Arkansas St., in Forrest City, was arrested and charged with loitering and third-degree battery.
A house trailer fire in Palestine is being investigated as an arson by the St. Francis County Sheriff's Department.
The fire occurred early Friday morning at the home of Curtis Caskey, at 207 Hudspeth in Palestine.
Caskey told officers that he was asleep on a couch, but woke up and found smoke in the bedroom and kitchen. He said he tried to get out the front door but it would not open, so he escaped through a side window, went next door and called 911.
According to the Sheriff's Department report, the doors had been locked from the outside by padlocks, and an antenna tower had been wedged against the back door.
Forrest City Police are looking for a suspect who allegedly robbed, at gunpoint, a man who was leaving a local business on his way to make a bank deposit, and got away with more than $13,000 in cash and checks.
The robbery took place Saturday, at around 1:30 p.m., according to the police report. William Lee Cullum, an employee of Flash Market at 203 Deaderick Road, reported that he was leaving the store with the bank deposit in a bank bag.
He said before he got into his car, a black male pulled up in a gray or light blue car, jumped out of the car and demanded the bag. According to Cullum, the man had a handgun. Cullum said he gave the bag to the man which contained $13,136.41, with $1,977.71 in checks and the rest in cash.
The suspect is described as about six feet tall, clean shaven with acne scars.