Man charged in alleged carjacking, kidnapping

Clark
Clark

Multiple agencies worked together to arrest a Springdale man late Wednesday on felony charges in connection with a carjacking, kidnapping and robbery that allegedly occurred Tuesday night near Hot Springs Village.

Buford Allen Clark, 31, was taken into custody on multiple warrants around 10 p.m. Wednesday in the Gravel Ridge community outside Sherwood by officers with Arkansas Community Correction's Special Response Team, Little Rock Violent Crime Apprehension Team, Arkansas State Police, Sherwood Police Department and Garland County Sheriff's Department.

Clark, who is on parole, was charged with kidnapping and aggravated robbery, each punishable by up to life in prison, and criminal attempt at aggravated robbery, punishable by up to 30 years, and had a warrant for failure to appear. He was being held on zero bond and is set to appear today in Garland County District Court.

"Garland County Sheriff's Department investigators were able to track the whereabouts of Clark and alerted the (ACC) Special Response Team due to Clark being on parole. The swift actions by investigators and the Special Response Team led to the successful apprehension," Sheriff Mike McCormick said Thursday.

"I would like to thank the Arkansas Community Correction's Special Response Team for their assistance. This is another example of two agencies working together to make our community a safer place," he said.

According to a probable cause affidavit released Thursday afternoon, sheriff's Cpl. Robbie Swinney was dispatched to Charlie's Pizza Pub at 127 McNeely Circle, off the 4400 block of Highway 7 north, Tuesday night in reference to an attempted robbery and while still en route received another call about a stolen vehicle that had just occurred that was possibly connected.

An employee of Charlie's, 22, stated he had just got off work and was sitting in his car when a white male wearing a black shirt with the letters "MMA" on it approached him and began asking him questions about where he was from and then asked him for a ride to Mount Ida.

The employee said he told the man he was headed to Little Rock and then the man asked him if he had ever been robbed before or been in jail. The employee responded no to both questions and then the man allegedly said, "This is a robbery and I have a gun."

The employee noted the man had "something with a black handle" wrapped in a black cloth or bandanna tucked in his right boot. He said the man asked him for his money and car keys, but at that point several other Charlie's employees exited the restaurant and the man fled behind the building toward the Shell gas station at 4401 Highway 7 north.

Moments later, the same white male made contact with an 18-year-old man who was sitting in his vehicle, a gray 2003 Ford Escape, at the gas station and asked him for a ride to the nearby Walmart. The 18-year-old told him his parents were waiting on him and he couldn't take him.

At that point, the man walked to the passenger side of the Escape and got in. The 18-year-old stated he drove south on Highway 7 and the man told him to stop and get $200 from an ATM and give it to him. He said he pulled into the Valero, 3371 Highway 7, and the man told him again to "go pull out $200."

They both got out of the vehicle and the 18-year-old said he tried to get back in so he could leave the man there, but the man got back in and told him he would kill him and he had a gun. He said he told the man he "could not do this anymore" and the man pulled a knife out of his boot and again threatened to kill him.

At that point, the 18-year-old said he pulled over on the side of the road, still southbound about a quarter mile from the Valero, and got out and the man drove off in his car, valued at $5,000. He noted the man was wearing a black shirt with the letters "MMA" on it and had several tattoos.

Sheriff's Investigator Brandon Huckaba obtained video from Charlie's that showed a white male approach the employee in his car in the parking lot and then leave headed toward the Shell station. Huckaba obtained video from the Shell that showed the same white male approach the 18-year-old in his car, get in the car and drive away.

During this time, members of the community began sharing a still photo of the suspect from Charlie's video on Facebook.

Sgt. Greg Kellar was informed of a white male matching the description of the suspect who was parked at a residence on Ranch Estates Road in what appeared to be a Ford Escape. Kellar went there, but the vehicle was gone so he began checking other areas. He was told the vehicle had returned so Swinney set up near Warren Watson Road and Ranch Estates to watch for it.

The Escape passed by Swinney, who attempted to make a traffic stop, but the car sped away. Huckaba and Swinney attempted to follow the car but lost sight of it in the 900 block of Highway 128.

Swinney, Huckaba and Kellar returned to the residence on Ranch Estates and spoke with a woman, 34, who stated the driver of the vehicle that had left earlier was "a guy named Ryan Clark." She said Clark had stolen the vehicle from Hot Springs Village and was driving it when he left.

She also noted Clark had changed into a green shirt and gave the deputies consent to search her residence where they allegedly located a black shirt with "MMA" on it in the master bedroom.

On Wednesday, the Charlie's employee was interviewed again and said he remembered the man mentioning the name "Clark" and at one point stated his name was "Bo."

Huckaba made contact with Probation and Parole Area Manager Jenna Smith and sent her a photo of the suspect. She was unable to find anyone on probation or parole with the name "Ryan Clark" matching the suspect. Huckaba told her about the suspect mentioning the name "Bo" and she was able to locate information on Buford Allen Clark, who matched the suspect's description and reportedly sometimes used the alias "Ryan Clark."

The 18-year-old was shown a photo lineup that included Buford Clark and he reportedly identified him as the one who threatened to kill him and stole his vehicle. Warrants were issued later that day on the felony charges.

Local on 08/17/2018

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