What began as a gas theft from a local school a week ago has ended in multiple felony charges for 30-year-old Kenno A. Forrest, who is accused of assaults on a school employee and two deputies, fleeing and theft.
Forrest, who was arrested Tuesday evening, is charged with first-degree criminal mischief, criminal use of a prohibited weapon, three counts of fleeing, theft of property and three counts of aggravated assault, all felonies punishable by up to six years in prison.
He is also charged with theft by receiving, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and two counts of possession of firearm by certain person, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Forrest is also charged with reckless driving, no seat belt and driving on a suspended driver's license.
He was arraigned Wednesday morning via video before District Court Judge David Switzer on the charges of no seat belt, reckless driving, fleeing in a vehicle, driving on a suspended license and theft by receiving. He pleaded not guilty, and a felony review hearing on those charges is set for March 17. Public defender Morse Gist was appointed to represent him.
Forrest remained in custody Thursday at the Garland County Detention Center on zero bond for a parole hold. His bond total is $43,500 on the other charges.
He is due in Garland County District Court Feb. 3 to be arraigned on the remaining charges.
The string of events leading to his arrest began Jan. 23 when he was allegedly stealing gas from Fountain Lake School, 4207 Park Ave. A school employee followed a suspect, identified as Forrest, off campus and stated Forrest fired one shot at him, then fled.
Forrest was later observed by Garland County Sheriff's Department Cpl. Greg Kellar and Sgt. William House on Spring Street. House and Kellar followed Forrest and attempted to make a traffic stop, but Forrest reportedly fled and turned into the yard of a residence.
According to the affidavit, House exited his unit with his weapon drawn and ordered Forrest to stop. Forrest continued driving his truck toward House, who fired his weapon at the vehicle. Kellar exited his own unit and took cover between his vehicle and Forrest's. Forrest then reversed the truck and drove toward Kellar and rammed his unit, causing $1,500 worth of damage. According to the affidavit, House stated he fired another shot at Forrest's truck before he drove through a fence around Cutter Morning Star School's playground.
When Forrest abandoned his truck near the school and fled on foot, House and Kellar located a loaded sawed-off shotgun in the vehicle and one spent casing next to the driver's seat, allegedly from the shot fired at the school employee.
According to reports, law enforcement personnel learned the truck belonged to Forrest's uncle, who stated he loaned the vehicle to his nephew so he could travel to visit his sick father.
On Sunday, a subject filed a report with the sheriff's department for a stolen 2003 Ford Escort at 244 Hacienda Road. Around 11:30 p.m., Deputy Clayton Green attempted to make a traffic stop on the stolen vehicle at Surrey Road. The driver refused to stop and eventually became stuck in a field off East Goat Hill Road. Green made contact with Thomas Langley, who was fleeing from the vehicle, and located a rifle in the back seat.
Lt. Joel Ware interviewed Langley the next day. Langley stated Forrest had been the driver of the stolen vehicle and fled after it became stuck. He explained he was visiting Forrest's aunt's residence, in the same area the owner of the Ford Escort lived, when Forrest showed up driving the vehicle.
Another vehicle, a 2002 Honda Accord, was reported stolen Monday. The owner stated she was at 113 Sawdust Trail, near the area Forrest fled from Green the day before.
On Monday, the sheriff's department received a call from Trophy's Corner Store at the intersection of highways 5 and 7. According to the affidavit, the caller stated Forrest's mother had entered the store and paid $20 for gas, indicating it was for a green Honda instead of her own vehicle. The caller noticed the driver of the Honda was Forrest and called law enforcement. Forrest was gone by the time deputies arrived, but the caller stated he had headed east on Park Avenue.
Deputy J.T. Dodge was in the area at the time and came into contact with Forrest on Park Avenue. According to the affidavit, Dodge attempted to give chase but was unable to due to Forrest's high rate of speed. Later that evening, an anonymous caller stated Forrest was in the area of Ranch Estates and Warren Watson roads. Law enforcement, including Arkansas State Police and parole officers, searched the area for nearly six hours. During the search, an unknown person reported the Honda Accord was wrecked and abandoned on Warren Watson Road. Investigator Russ Severns inventoried the car and located a wallet with Forrest's identification inside.
Forrest was finally taken into custody Tuesday evening when state police Trooper Brandon Cook made a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Forrest's cousin. Forrest was in the passenger seat and pushed his cousin from the truck and fled again before being apprehended by Cook.
In addition to his current charges, Forrest was convicted in Drew County in 2011 for residential burglary and first-degree criminal mischief. Both felonies prohibit Forrest from possessing any firearms.
Local on 01/30/2015