A Hot Springs man sought on felony warrants after allegedly fleeing a traffic stop last month was arrested Wednesday morning at a local woman's residence, and now both face multiple felony charges after drugs were reportedly found.
James Edward Hill, 31, who lists a Morrison Avenue address, and Lyndsey Leighshae Williams, 30, of 210 Chitwood St., were taken into custody around 8 a.m. at her residence and charged with possession of a controlled substance with purpose to deliver, ecstasy, and unauthorized use of another person's property to facilitate certain crimes, each punishable by up to 20 years in prison, possession of cocaine with purpose to deliver, punishable by up to 10 years, possession of marijuana with purpose to deliver, punishable by up to six years, and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.
Hill was also charged with felony warrants for possession of a controlled substance, punishable by up to 10 years, and two counts of first-degree endangering the welfare of a minor, punishable by up to six years, and a misdemeanor count of fleeing stemming from the traffic stop on July 19.
The charges against Hill and Williams were filed directly to Garland County Circuit Court. Williams was later released on $17,000 bond and is set to appear Sept. 4 in circuit court. Hill was being held on zero bond and is set to appear Monday.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on Wednesday, Hot Springs police Detective Jarret Cantrell assisted the U.S. Marshal's Service with the apprehension of Hill on his active felony warrants. Hill and Williams were located inside the residence at Chitwood and upon entry officers observed a plastic baggie of marijuana, 9.6 grams, and a smoking device in the living room.
After securing the residence, a search warrant was obtained and the residence was searched. Officers allegedly located a baggie with 12 ecstasy pills, a baggie with cocaine, 0.6 gram, another baggie of marijuana, 0.9 gram, in a purse on the bedroom dresser. In a 2002 Ford Expedition parked outside, that was registered to Williams, they reportedly located three more ecstasy pills, a box with 54 9-mm rounds and two loaded 9-mm magazines, a marijuana grinder and pipes.
It was determined the property did not belong to Williams and was less than 1,000 feet from Hot Springs Child Care, 600 Main St.; Fairdale Baptist Church, 700 Richard St.; and Hot Springs Elementary School, 617 Main St.
According to the affidavit for the warrants for Hill, on July 19, around 6 p.m., police Officer 1st Class Rod West responded to the 3000 block of Central Avenue for a welfare check involving a white passenger car in a restaurant drive-through where the driver appeared intoxicated and there were two juveniles in the car.
West saw a white Chevrolet Impala matching the description pull into the south lot of Oaklawn Park, 2705 Central, and pulled in behind it. The driver, later identified as Hill, got out of the vehicle as West approached.
West told Hill several times to get back in the car as he started walking away. While Hill looked back at West, he continued walking and then began running east through the lot toward the horse barns where West lost sight of him.
West returned to the vehicle and made contact with the two female juveniles, ages 9 and 12, who had been abandoned in the car. The girls told West the man who ran was their father, Hill, and West located a photo of Hill and confirmed he was the man who fled.
During an inventory of the Impala, West reportedly found a plastic baggie with 16 ecstasy pills "that looked similar to children's vitamins" which were accessible to the girls. Warrants for Hill's arrest were later issued.
Local on 08/10/2018