Local man allegedly points gun at woman

Farris
Farris

A Hot Springs man was charged with felony aggravated assault Wednesday after he allegedly followed a woman around a parking lot and pointed a gun at her.

Billie Gene Farris, 35, who lists a Grey Fox Lane address, was being held at the Garland County Detention Center on $5,000 bail Wednesday on the assault charge and a charge of possession of a firearm by a certain person, both felonies punishable by up to six years in prison.

A second man, Joseph Allen Patrick, 38, who lists a Lawson street address, was arrested with Farris at the intersection of Albert Pike and Mountain Pine Road around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday. Patrick was also charged with possession of a firearm by a certain person.

Farris was also cited with several misdemeanor traffic offenses, including no liability insurance, no driver's license, and defective vehicle lights.

Both men were scheduled for a plea and arraignment in Garland County District Court on Wednesday.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Officer Wes Smith responded to Walmart, 1601 Albert Pike, around 10 p.m. in reference to an assault with a firearm. The witness stated a truck was reportedly following her around the parking lot and one of the occupants pointed a gun at her.

According to the witness, she left Walmart around 9:30 p.m. and observed two men staring at her from a small blue-gray truck with large amounts of trash in the bed. As she attempted to leave, the truck reportedly began following her around the parking lot.

She told Smith she pulled into another spot in the parking lot and the truck reportedly pulled up on the passenger side of her vehicle. The driver, later identified as Farris, reportedly pointed a black handgun at her.

Upon reviewing video surveillance footage from the Walmart parking lot, Deputy Joseph Parker recognized the vehicle from a traffic stop he had conducted the night before. Parker was able to identify the occupants of the truck as Farris and Patrick.

Officers were later advised that a vehicle matching the truck's description was located at a gas station at the intersection of Albert Pike and Thornton Ferry Road.

Smith initiated a traffic stop on a gray 1993 Dodge Dakota and reportedly located the two suspects and a black handgun in the dash. The witness arrived on scene and positively identified the two suspects, who were then transported to the detention center.

Local on 12/14/2017

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