A local man was arrested Wednesday after allegedly pistol-whipping another man, trying to shoot him and threatening two others at gunpoint in the parking lot of the Hot Springs Mall.
Samuel Alfonso Peters, 20, who lists a School Street address, was taken into custody around 5 p.m. at the mall, located at 4501 Central Ave., and charged with three felony counts of aggravated assault, punishable by up to six years in prison.
He remained in custody Thursday in lieu of $7,500 bond and is set to appear today in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, around 4:30 p.m., Hot Springs police Officer Justin Baker responded to the mall in reference to a disturbance involving a gun. Upon arrival he learned a male victim had met a known suspect, identified as Peters, earlier at Cornerstone gas station, 1676 Higdon Ferry Road, and agreed to give him a ride in exchange for money.
The victim said he drove Peters to the mall parking lot and once there Peters appeared to be retrieving money from his pocket to pay him when instead he pulled out a black pistol and struck the victim in the head.
He said after Peters struck him he aimed the pistol at his stomach and pulled the trigger. The gun did not discharge, making a "clicking" sound, and Peters allegedly said, "You're lucky the gun jammed."
Baker noted the victim had an almost 3 inch laceration on the top of his head consistent with his statement. The victim identified Peters, who was sitting on the curb in front of Dillard's nearby, as the one who had assaulted him.
Peters allegedly made a spontaneous statement to police that he had a pistol in his front pocket as he was being detained. He also admitted to having a loaded magazine in another pocket. Baker retrieved a black, defaced .380 semi-automatic pistol and the magazine.
Detective Nathan Rines later spoke to two witnesses who stated they were in the vehicle with the victim during the incident along with one witness' juvenile son. One witness said she saw the victim and Peters arguing and then saw Peters strike the victim over the head causing him to stumble backward.
She said she saw a pistol in Peters' hand which he aimed at the victim, who quickly got in the vehicle with them. She said as they were driving away, she saw Peters aiming the pistol at their vehicle. The second witness said she heard the victim and Peters argue, but looked away when the victim was struck.
Peters is set to stand trial Tuesday in Garland County Circuit Court on a charge of second-degree domestic battery, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, stemming from his arrest Aug. 19, 2017, for allegedly assaulting his 88-year-old great-grandmother at her home.
He was released Nov. 30, 2017, on $3,500 bond and a court order barring him from contact with the victim was issued.
Local on 03/23/2018