A Hot Springs man was sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty Monday in Garland County Circuit Court to burglarizing a house and setting fire to a car last year.
Jeremy Daniel Bennett, 37, who has remained in custody in lieu of $35,000 bond since his arrest, was set to stand trial Aug. 16 on felony charges of arson and residential burglary but opted to plead guilty to both charges and was sentenced to six years on each count, to run concurrently.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on Oct. 8, 2017, Garland County sheriff's Lt. Mike Roberson responded to a vehicle fire outside a residence in the 300 block of Longhorn Loop. While en route, the dispatcher informed him there were also reportedly shots fired in the area.
Upon arrival, Roberson observed a Jeep Grand Cherokee fully engulfed in flames and a man, later identified as Bennett, standing at a fence line in the backyard.
Bennett asked the deputy if he could say something in relation to the incident and then stated, "I did it." After being placed in custody and read his rights, he admitted he broke into the residence to look for a gun and then "felt like it was his place to stay for a while." He also admitted to setting fire to the Jeep.
There was evidence of forced entry to the front door of the residence and an estimated $8,000 in damage to the residence's exterior as a result of the vehicle fire. The vehicle itself, valued at $3,500, was a total loss.
• A Hot Springs man was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty Monday in circuit court to assaulting a Garland County sheriff's deputy during a traffic stop last year.
Jason Andrew Toliver, 30, who has remained in custody in lieu of $12,500 since his arrest, pleaded guilty to a felony count of second-degree battery with his three-year sentence to run concurrently with the revocation of his probation from a 2016 conviction for forgery. He was also ordered to pay $420 in court costs.
Two additional felony counts of possession of drug paraphernalia stemming from the traffic stop were withdrawn.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on Dec. 15, 2017, around 11 p.m., Deputy Matthew Cogburn initiated a traffic stop on a 1998 Cadillac Deville in the 3000 block of Albert Pike Road after the driver ran a stop sign. The vehicle came to a stop and one passenger, later identified as Toliver, exited the vehicle and began to walk away.
Cogburn exited his patrol unit and made contact with Toliver, who refused to identify himself and continued to walk away. Toliver reportedly became combative and tried to push past Cogburn in an attempt to cross the street.
He then became even more combative and pushed Cogburn to the ground as the deputy was attempting to detain him, causing injuries to both of Cogburn's knees. Toliver continued to resist arrest until Deputy Justin Parker arrived on scene to assist, deployed his Taser and placed Toliver into custody.
Toliver finally identified himself and deputies learned he had warrants for his arrest and was on active probation.
A search of the vehicle revealed a black bag where Toliver had been sitting that contained two syringes and a set of digital scales. Other items including meth, marijuana and other drug paraphernalia were connected to the driver and a second passenger who were also arrested.
Local on 06/05/2018