Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Fleeing Suspect Still At Large; Roadblock Nets One Arrest

A traffic chase originating in Stephens entered Nevada County and ended in an arrest, but not of the person being chased.

According to Wayne Kisselburg, criminal investigator with the Nevada County Sheriff's Office, a call came in from the Stephens Police Department to the NCSO around 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 7, asking if Nevada County had a warrant on a James Smith, 39, of Willisville.

Smith was wanted in the county for his fourth driving while intoxicated charge, a felony.

Deputies Larry Miller and Danny Martin were dispatched to aid the SPD officer.

The Stephens officer had lost site of Smith's vehicle, but Miller recognized the suspect when he saw him.

However, before Miller, Martin or the Stephens officer could get in position to stop Smith, he stopped his vehicle and fled into the woods.

Miller and Martin subsequently stopped every vehicle on county road 8 for a time, just in case Smith had gained access to different transportation.

But, instead of finding Smith, Miller stopped a vehicle driven by Willie Ray Christopher, 40, of McNiel.

Christopher was driving a Monte Carlo with no license plate. Martin asked and was granted permission to search the vehicle, but first asked Christopher if he had a weapon.

Christopher told the officers he had a .22 derringer but it wasn't loaded.

Miller ran a criminal history on Christopher, learning he had a prior felony. This lead to his being charged with possession of a firearm by certain persons, also known as felon in possession of a firearm.

Meanwhile, Smith is still at large and has been charged with felony fleeing.

HOUSE BURGLARIZED

A home on county road 19 near Rosston was burglarized between March 4-7, with the thieves only taking a wooden china cabinet.

According to Kisselburg, the front door of the home, owned by Odessie Zachary, 87, was kicked in by the suspects.

The burglars then removed all the china and glasses from the cabinet, leaving them on the floor while taking the cabinet with them.

Kisselburg said nothing else at the scene had been disturbed. He added evidence found at the scene has been sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab in Little Rock.