A check on two men walking in a rising crime area Friday morning ended with the arrest of both after one man, allegedly armed with a gun, fled on foot and drugs and paraphernalia were reportedly found in their possession.
Isaac James Beasley, 26, of Conway, and Joshua Edward Gross, 33, who lists a Crest Street address in Hot Springs, were both taken into custody shortly before 11:30 a.m. Friday in the area of Marion Anderson Road and Walkway Drive by Garland County sheriff's deputies.
Gross, a previously convicted felon, was charged with felony counts of possession of meth with purpose to deliver, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and possession of a firearm by certain persons, punishable by up to six years, and a misdemeanor count of fleeing on foot.
Beasley, who is on parole, was charged with two felony counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and one count of possession of a controlled substance, each punishable by up to six years, and a misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Both remained in custody Monday morning and were set to appear later that day in Garland County District Court.
According to the affidavits, shortly after 11 a.m., sheriff's Cpl. Felix Hunter said he was patrolling on Marion Anderson when he saw two men walking off Walkway and, due to a recent spike in thefts in that area, he turned around to make contact with them.
As Deputy Justin Parker arrived to assist, Hunter was speaking to one man, identified as Gross, who "kept reaching at his right front pocket." Parker made contact with the second man, who initially gave his name as Daniel Beasley, and with his consent began searching his backpack.
Parker allegedly located used syringes in the backpack so he detained Beasley for further investigation. At that point, Hunter attempted to detain Gross when he "snatched away from me," Hunter said, and ran north on Marion Anderson.
Hunter said he saw Gross reach into his pocket and pull out a black handgun which he dropped and then he threw his backpack over a guardrail as he continued running. Parker said he had seen Gross spin around and start running and then heard Hunter yelling, "Gun! Gun!" so he put Beasley in his unit and pursued Gross.
Hunter said he stopped chasing Gross and located the handgun, a 9 mm, and the backpack, which allegedly contained an eyeglasses case with a glass pipe and meth inside.
Parker said he chased Gross to a nearby tree line and took him into custody without further incident.
A further search of Beasley's backpack reportedly revealed digital scales with meth residue, a metal pipe with marijuana residue, a glass smoking pipe with meth residue, a spoon with a white powdery substance and miscellaneous baggies "consistent with illegal drug use."
Beasley later told Parker he had lied about his first name and hidden his wallet with his ID under his seat in the patrol unit which revealed his true identity as Isaac Beasley.
Local on 09/26/2017