Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Heavy Patrols Are Set

Those planning to have a good time on New Year's Eve be forewarned, the Nevada County Sheriff's Office will have the county covered with officers.

Sheriff Steve Otwell said the county will be heavily covered with law enforcement officers, not only from the NCSO, but also from the Arkansas State Police.

All auxiliary and full-time deputies will be activated, he said, for New Year's Day.

The auxiliary deputies, Otwell said, will be stationed in the rural areas, primarily where there are businesses. These deputies will be at the business locations to make sure nothing happens.

The full-time deputies, he continued, will be patrolling the county, each with an assigned area.

Otwell said the ASP has canceled all time off for its troopers, and there should be a good influx of troopers in Nevada County.

"There will be officers galore," Otwell said of New Year's Eve. Anyone foolish enough to drink and drive, he added, need to be aware the fine for the first offense of driving while under the influence is a fine of $875, suspension of driver's license and having insurance rates possibly double over a three-year period.

"It would be a miracle if someone could go anywhere without seeing an officer," he said.

Those who are charged with driving under the influence face a similar fine and penalty, he added. The major difference between DWI and DUI is age and the amount of alcohol required for the charge.

For DUI charges, Otwell said, the suspect must be under 21 and register 0.02 on a breath test. For DWI the legal limit is 0.1.

"There will be no sobriety checkopoints," he continued, "just moving patrols."

Reliant Energy/Arkla Gas is supposed to have some of its personnel watching the transmission lines in the area, he said.

When midnight arrives, Otwell said, it would be a good idea of everyone didn't get on the phone at one time to make sure family and friends are all right.

This could jam the phone lines and create a panic because of the so-called Y2K bug.

Otwell suggests families and friends stagger calling times after midnight to let one another know what's going on where they are.

TRUCK BURNED

A pickup stolen from Magnolia was found burned in Nevada County Monday morning.

According to Otwell, the NCSO got a message from the Magnolia Police Department around 6 p.m. Sunday concerning a stolen Chevrolet pickup.

At 3:13 a.m. Monday, he said, the NCSO received a call about a forest fire southeast of Willisville.

When deputies arrived they found the truck. It had been stripped and apparently set on fire.

The vehicle identification number was checked, and confirming it as the stolen vehicle.

The truck is currently being held until the Magnolia Police Department can examine it.

Otwell said there are no suspects in this case at this time, adding the investigation continues.

This is the third vehicle in a year, he said, stolen in the Magnolia area and found in Nevada County. However, he pointed out, this is the first one to have been stripped and burned.

Anyone with information about this case should call the NCSO at 887-2616. The caller's identity will be kept confidential.