Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Gurdon man charged in Arkadelphia crime

A Gurdon man has been arrested for a burglary at an Arkadelphia motel.

According to records on file in the Clark County Circuit Clerks office, Lee Russell Crawford of 207 Elm St., was arrested on Dec. 11, after Arkadelphia police received a 9-11 call concerning a break-in in progress at the Pioneer Inn. Upon arrival, an officer noticed a truck leaving an ally near the motel. The officer turned on his blue lights in an attempt to stop the vehicle, but it continued to drive slowly, eventually returning to the parking lot of the motel.

The court records state that when officers approached the vehicle, an odor of intoxicants was noticed. Witnesses on the scene reportedly identified Crawford, who was driving the truck, as the man who had broken into the motels lobby.

A cash register was found to be missing from the lobby, and police located it behind a storage building that was near where police first found Crawford leaving the motel. Video surveillance shows a man dressed like Crawford going into the lobby after breaking a window. The mans face was covered, and he was wearing gloves. A pair of gloves matching those in the video were found in Pine Street along the route Crawford led the police officer after leaving the motel.

Crawford was arrested on charges of commercial burglary, a class C felony, and driving while intoxicated. Court records indicate that prosecutors will seek a harsher punishment for Crawford as he is a habitual offender. He could receive up to 30 years in prison if convicted.

Crawford was released from custody on a $25,000 bond on Dec. 16.