A Drew County jury found Benjamin Briney not guilty of aggravated animal cruelty, following the admitted beating to death of a horse on August 1, with a baseball bat.

This is Arkansas’ first attempt at prosecuting someone under the new “felony aggravated animal cruelty” law that went into effect as of midnight on July 31.  The death of this horse occurred approximately one hour later. (more…)

12 area residents and a local bank have been awarded money owed to them, following a recent restitution hearing against Rick Funderburg, former owner of Rick’s Auto Outlet, of Monticello, for damages done in the criminal case against him, in which he pled guilty in December of 2005. (more…)

Around 11 o’clock, Monday morning, as an attorney and his client were likely discussing their case before leaving the courthouse parking lot, the client reached into the back seat of the attorney’s pick-up truck to get a box.

When he moved the box, a 243 rifle, reportedly, accidentally fired, sending it’s bullet out the back passenger side of the attorney’s truck, and into the tailgate of the Drew County Environmental Enforcement vehicle, a Jeep Cherokee, parked next to the north entrance of the courthouse.  Witnesses said that there were several rifles in the back of the vehicle. (more…)

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According to Lt. Jason Akers of the Tenth Drug Task Force, task force agents arrested a Monticello man after executing a search warrant at his Monticello apartment. (more…)

An 18-year-old Monticello man was killed in a head-on collision between the Toyota pick-up he was driving and a truck from the Arkansas Highway & Transportation Dept., around 8 a.m. Tuesday morning.

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Usually the follow up reports after a local festival don’t include arrest reports, but for the second consecutive year, this has been the case in Monticello. (more…)

According to Drew County Sheriff Mark Gober, last Wednesday, a Cominto area man saw flames coming up on the outside of his home near the kitchen area.  At the time, the man and two children were inside of the residence, (more…)

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While responding to a report about a woman running down the street, being chased by 2 men in a pick-up, Thursday night around midnight, Monticello Police officers stopped the truck, spoke to all persons involved, and then arrested all 3 persons. (more…)

According to Lt. Jason Akers of the Tenth Drug Task Force, a Drew County man is facing methamphetamine manufacturing and related charges after a search warrant was executed at his residence last week. (more…)

Drew County Sheriff Mark Gober has released the attached press release detailing information leading to the arrest of the “Bolt Cutter Bandit”, the man who got out of jail Tuesday, and then was arrested Thursday for cutting the chain link fence to the Walmart garden center (Wednesday night).

Apparently the man called the Sheriff’s Dept., to return a “stolen laptop”, but actually gave them a “different stolen laptop.”

Other stolen items were also recovered. (more…)

Allegedly, a Wednesday night residential burglary near the intersection of Union and Bailey Streets, wasn’t the first time this man had been arrested for breaking into a home, but this time the “loot” was different.

Aside from items un-named, because of an ongoing investigation. several of the items taken included SEVERAL stuffed teddy bears and other animals. (more…)

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Sheriff Mark Gober confirmed information, today, about a shooting that took place in the Ladell community, around 12:15, Saturday night. (more…)

This year’s MADD sponsored DWI mock accident was held on the parking lot area of the Monticello High School, Monday.

This year’s event was held in honor of Dustin “Rooster” Ferguson.

The first video show the accident re-enactment.
The second covers Steve Brantley’s comments about the event.
The last video is of Dustin Ferguson’s mother’s statements from Monday, which was the first time she has spoken publicly about the wreck that took Dustin’s life.

MADD MOCK DWI 2009-04-13 from MonticelloLive on Vimeo.

Dustin’s parents came out to speak for the first time since the accident. His mom told the students attending, “Sept. 22, 2008, two days after his 19th birthday, our son lost his life from a drunk driver. One choice of an indivdual changed our lives and our community. I stand before you as Dustin’s voice. His plans and his dreams could not be achieved because of the choice of another. Remember your choice affects everyone.”

DVD video’s of last year’s presentation are available at James Quick Print.

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A Drew County jury said enough is enough to a former Monticello resident, Lyndall Golden, Tuesday, by sentencing him to serve 40 in the state prison system.

The charge is described as “theft of property over $2,500”, but the items Golden stole were valued to be around $654,825, and included in stocks, bonds, CDs, jewelry, and a substantial amount of cash from an elderly couple, in the Coleman area, while she was in a Little Rock hospital. (more…)

Captain Eddy Deaton of the Monticello Police Dept. wishes to recognize patrolman Kenny Cox for his actions Sunday afternoon, in attempting to extinguish a fire caused by an overturned b-b-q grill at an apartment on HWY 278 West, while armed only with a standard garden hose.

The Fire Dept. soon arrived and the fire was put out.

 In an order issued April 3, Circuit Judge Sam Pope denied Kenneth Isom’s request for additional DNA testing as to a third cousin, Jerry Avery. The order states that “such an attenuated relationship could not possibly change the results of the testing in this case.” Judge Pope dismissed the petition. (more…)

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 After having accepted a plea bargain on December 12, which sentenced him to life in prison, Gary Riley had petitioned the Drew County Circuit Court to withdraw his guilty plea based on “deficient performance” by his attorney. (more…)

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Just before 10 o’clock, Friday night, Jim Metzger, of Washougal, WA, was attempting to land his Flight Commander aircraft at the Monticello Airport, when the plane struck a deer in the run way. (more…)

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James Daniels, age 23 of Monticello, drove to the Monticello Police Dept, with the intention of filing a police report.  Upon arrival, Daniels was arrested and charged with DWI, after failing a field sobriety test.

He also admitted to the officer, during the test, that he had recently “smoked a blunt”.

Daniels’ vehicle was towed, and he was transported to the Drew County Detention Facility.

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Sheriff Newell Normand, of Jefferson Parish Louisiana, has released information about the arrest of four individuals for aggravated burglary and home invasion charges, including 2 UAM football players, (more…)

After many fund raisers, enough money was raised to purchase the monument for Sgt Larry D. Smith of the Monticello Police Department.

His monument was set on December 23, 2008 which was Larry’s 51st Birthday.

There is no way his Police Department family could ever express our appreciation to everyone that helped from purchasing a ticket to making a donation and or physically helping during each fund raiser that we had, therefore those of you that did help please know we appreciate each and everyone of you. Larry very much deserved this beautiful monument.

We also would like to give a special thank you to Lyle & Kim Welch & all employees of Southeast Emergency Ambulance Service for everything you did to help make this possible. Larry is and forever will be missed but will Never be forgotten.

We Love you Larry. 1902 10-7 10-42 God Speed.

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