Conflicting accounts given in Carpenter Dam shooting

There are reportedly conflicting statements regarding the shooting of a local woman on Sept. 11 that is being investigated by Hot Springs police as a possible case of domestic violence.

Police officers responded shortly after 7:30 a.m. Sept. 11 to a reported shooting at the intersection of Carpenter Dam Road and Lakepark Drive and found a woman, 37, who had been shot. She was airlifted to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock for treatment, and was initially listed in serious but stable condition.

About 30 minutes later, police arrested a suspect, identified as Nelson Green Johnson III, 37, on a felony charge of violation of a no-contact order in connection with the incident. As of Tuesday, he remained in custody on that charge in lieu of $100,000 bond and the revocation of his bond from a previous incident involving the same victim.

According to the affidavit for a search warrant for the vehicle allegedly involved in the incident, identified as a 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix, the victim told police she was shot by Johnson who she alleged "had been hiding in the trunk of her car and then emerged from the trunk and shot her."

She said he then left in her vehicle. Johnson was located a short time later after he contacted police and advised them of his location and that he had wrecked the car. The car was recovered from a wooded area off the roadway in the 600 block of Grand Point Bay Road and Johnson was taken into custody nearby without incident.

According to the affidavit, Johnson was interviewed by Detective Les Jessup and stated he met the victim at her place of employment on Lakepark Drive that morning and the two of them left together in her Grand Prix. He alleged she pulled out a handgun and pointed it at him.

He said the two of them "argued and struggled over the gun which discharged injuring (her)."

The search warrant was obtained in order to process the Grand Prix for evidence about the incident. A gun was found at the scene on the roadway on Carpenter Dam the morning of the incident which was also taken into evidence.

Johnson appeared via video in Garland County District Court and pleaded not guilty to the violation of a no-contact order charge and is set to stand trial on the charge on Nov. 15.

Johnson was previously arrested on March 1 on a felony charge of second-degree domestic battery involving the same victim after he allegedly ran over her legs and left hand with his car during a confrontation on Feb. 26.

Johnson remained in custody on zero bond and pleaded not guilty to the charge on May 1. He was later released on $5,000 bond on July 6 and a court order barring him from contact with the victim was issued. A hearing to determine the admissibility of statements he made to police had been set for 1:30 p.m. the day of the shooting.

On July 29, Johnson was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of violating the protection order. He appeared via video in district court the next day and pleaded no contest and was sentenced to one year in jail, with all but two days suspended, and six months' probation. He was later released for time served.

At the time of Johnson's arrest on March 1, according to the bail determination form, he was on parole from a 2015 felony conviction in Phillips County for first-degree battery and possession of a firearm by certain persons.

Local on 09/19/2018

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