Monticello Live

Around 3:30 Tuesday afternoon, a distressed 22 year old man ran from the DHS parking lot, across HWY 425, and into Popeye’s restaurant.

The upset man ran behind the counter, and began throwing food and containers, before the Monticello Police Dept. and SEEMS arrived, assisted by Arkansas State Police and Sheriff Mark Gober, who were quickly able to bring the man under control, and get him into appropriate medical care.

More details have come to light, following Friday morning’s discovery of the vandalism at Drew Central High School, including a list of approximately a dozen “senior prank” suspects, and the realization of around $5,000 in damage.

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Sometime between Thursday night and Friday morning, a 1994 Peterbilt tractor-trailer was stolen from the Tillar area.

The red conventional semi truck was pulling  a 40′ black Delta lowboy trailer.  The truck has a 36″ sleeper, a chrome ”donkey” hood ornament, and an ID plate on its steps reading “WAYNE CALDWELL JR. FARMS.”

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Recently, an 18 year old Monticello youth was arrested twice in one evening.

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According to Sheriff Mark Gober, deputies arrested a 16 year old male, who is now in juvenile custody.

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The story of a local 89 year old lady that didn’t panic, but instead calmly fought to free herself after her scooter turned over, throwing her into the edge of a pond, has gained statewide attention, as she was interviewed by KARK’s Josh Berry, about her ordeal, and how she found out about the search.

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Monticello schools are continuing to work toward adding a school resource officer to their staff.  The topic was thoroughly discussed at their March boad meeting.

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Around 1 am, Saturday, local police agencies met briefly on a local parking lot to discuss patrol routes, when they were interrupted by the blur of a Dodge Challenger and a Dodge Charger racing from the Walgreens stop-light, on HWY 278, past Dollar General.

“97 MPH” registered on one radar screen, as officers pulled out to stop the vehicles.

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Around 2:30, Tuesday, Monticello Police, the Drew County Sheriff’s Dept., UAM Public Safety, and Arkansas State Police were called to the report of a fight at the Pine Valley Apartments, on HWY 425, at the UAM entrance, where a large crowd had gathered, at a fight where 6 individuals where involved, and a vehicle received major damage.

An argument on campus, about an alleged $20 debt, caused tempers to erupt at the nearby apartment complex, leading to 3 male UAM students being arrested.  One person was taken to Drew Memorial to be checked out for injuries, and one vehicle was damaged during the slug fest, as a crowned of 20-30 spectators gathered.

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At approximately 2:45 early Saturday morning, Drew County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a HWY 425 North residence, to a family disturbance where weapons were reportedly involved.

When deputies arrived, they spoke to a family member who reported that the suspect had pulled a knife on him locked the door of the residence, refusing to let him back inside of the house.

 Deputies noticed blood on the back patio of the residence and broken glass.  (more…)

According to Lt. Jason Akers of the Tenth Drug Task Force, a 52 year old Monticello man was arrested by Drug Task Force Agents last week, and faces felony narcotics charges after what Agents suspect to be methamphetamine was located inside his vehicle on a traffic stop.

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On Wednesday evening, April 10, around 6 pm, Monticello Police received a call from a local woman, reporting that she had been threatened by four suspects from Dumas on a local church parking lot.  One of them allegedly pointed a handgun at her, through her vehicle window.

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As several Monticello residents went to their vehicles, Sunday morning, to go to church they found someone else had been in their cars.

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A 28 year old Drew County man was arrested, last week, charged with theft of property over $5,000 and theft of a firearm.

The stolen property wasn’t noticed immediately, since the man was taking care of the property, while the victim was confined to the hospital.

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Circuit Court Judge Kenny Johnson, Monday, set a $150,000 bond for the man accused in the First Degree Murder of an area woman, who was located in a grave behind the suspect’s house.  She had been missing for nine days. 

The suspect is also charged with Abuse of Corpse. (more…)

The body of a Warren woman who disappeared nine days ago was found Sunday, in a grave near the home of a Monticello man known to be an acquaintance of the missing woman.

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The Monticello Police Department awarded Patrolman Kyle Berryman, Policeman of the Year.  The Monticello Lions Club presented Kyle $100 at their meeting, Thursday.

Police Chief Eddie Deaton and Capt Carlos Garcia selected Patrolman Kyle Berryman for this prestigious award. They said various criteria was the basis for the award and Kyle’s achievements for the past 12 months far exceeded everyone else.

Kyle has been a Monticello policeman 4 years.  He is married to the former Amber Nixon, a registered nurse. They have two children, ages 8 and 4. Shown in picture are Amber and Kyle Berryman, Lions Club President Don Hogue, Police Capt Carlos Garcia and Chief Eddie Deaton.

Around 1:45 Wednesday afternoon,  the drivers of a Toyota Camry turned Monticello’s busiest intersection into a demolition derby, as he allegedly “ping ponged” into 4 other vehicles.

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Drew County Deputy Jeremy Chapman, who was shot in the line of duty, Wednesday night, is now recovering at home.

Deputy Chapman wants to express his appreciation to everyone, and sent the message below.

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An Ordinance to amend the hours liquor can be served in private clubs in the city limits of Monticello was presented to the City Council at the Council’s meeting Thursday evening.

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Tuesday, around 2 pm, MLive pageviews sharply increased.  This usually means that a topic was making its way around FaceBook or text messages.

The rumor in this case was that a man was walking down a road near Midway Route with a gun.

Here are the details of that incident.

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Early Monday morning,, while responding to a suspicious vehicle parked at a cemetery report, Monticello Police Department officers stopped a vehicle at the AT&T store on HWY 425 North.  During that stop, a registered sex offender was identified and charged with Failure to Report Change of Address.

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Daniel Pedraza, a Drew County man facing a capitol murder trial with a possible death sentence asked the Arkansas Supreme Court t grant his petition of Writ for Certiorari, in an effort to get a continuance to for his attorney to prepare for his upcoming case.

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Prosecutor Thomas Deen has filed criminal charges against Bryant Childs, the big-rig driver who jumped out of a loaded asphalt truck, causing he death of the driver of a mini-van, when it was crushed by his abandoned vehicle.

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Around midnight on March 5,  a Drew County man was arrested by Drew County Sheriff’s deputies, following an alleged domestic disturbance.  He reportedly assaulted his wife and was waving a handgun in front of witnesses.

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On March 4, a resident of  W. Trotter St. reported his vehicle of been broken into.  Items stolen included a Pioneer CD player, causing substantial damage to his dash.

On March 5, a resident of N. Hyatt St. reported that her Camaro had some offensive words scratched into it’s hood, drivers door, and rear fender.

On March 6, a resident of N. Cooper Street reported that her Chevy Malibu had been scratched or keyed down both sides. The drivers front window appeared to be cracked, as well.

According to MagnoliaReporter.com, a juvenile who escaped from incarceration in Dermott spent the weekend joyriding in a stolen vehicle, across several southeast Arkansas counties, including Drew County.

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One mid-February, Friday morning, the Monticello Police Dept. and Juvenile Parole and Probation Dept, along with the Bradley County Sheriff’s Dept. canine unit, conducted a random search at Monticello High School with a search dog.

A hunting rifle was found inside of a students pick-up truck, on the MHS parking lot.

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Drew County currently does not have an active parole / probation case officer dedicated for the county’s offenders. Currently, officers designated for other counties are covering Drew County, on top of their regular responsibilities. 

When questions about probation case in Circuit Court Monday, Judge Gibson said that was under the impression the each officer had a maximum case load of 25.  Court testimony later reflected that total has been increased up to 60.

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After several complaints about vehicles and ATV’s “mud ridin’ ” in the construction area of the future I-69, authorities have been patrolling the area.

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Around 8 PM Wednesday evening, Drew County Sheriff’s deputies were called to the report of an assault, with shots being fired at a residence on Carter Road, near Wilmar.

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An arrest has been made in this case, which ran on MLive last week.

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Friday morning, the Monticello Police Dept. and Juvenile Parole and Probation Dept, along with the Bradley County Sheriff’s Dept. canine unit, conducted a random search at Monticello High School with drug dog

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The Drew County Home Hometown Health Initiative received a mini-grant from Arkansas Department of Human Services, Division of Behavioral Health Services, Office of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention to purchase a prescription drop box for the residents of Drew County.

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