A local woman was arrested late Friday on multiple felony charges after she was allegedly found in possession of drugs, tried to smuggle some into jail, and destroyed evidence after being discovered.
Dakila Emonee Murphy, 20, who lists a Garland Avenue address, was taken into custody shortly after 10 p.m. and charged with possession of meth with purpose to deliver, furnishing prohibited articles, tampering with physical evidence and possession of drug paraphernalia, each punishable by up to 20 years in prison, and possession of a controlled purpose with purpose to deliver, alprazolam, punishable by up to six years.
Murphy was also charged with a misdemeanor count of possession of marijuana with purpose to deliver, punishable by up to one year in jail, and cited for driving on a suspended license, no liability insurance and two counts of failure to stop at a stop sign.
She was later released on $21,000 bond and is set to appear Feb. 19 in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, around 9 p.m. Friday, Hot Springs police Officer Jonathan Smith was southbound on Second Street when he saw a 2011 Chevrolet Cruz fail to come to a complete stop at a stop sign.
He followed the car east on Greenwood to Linwood, where the driver failed to stop again at Linwood and Garland, so he made a traffic stop in the 100 block of Garland and made contact with the driver, identified as Murphy, and a male passenger, 36, and noted the passenger appeared to be under the influence of an unknown substance.
Murphy appeared nervous, Smith said, and kept stating she was "a single mom trying to do right" and "times were tough for her." Smith asked Murphy what the passenger had taken and she said she had just picked him up to take him to get something to eat because he was going to pay her $10.
Smith asked the passenger what he had taken, but he claimed he had not taken anything and was just having stomach pains. After further discussion, Smith asked to search the vehicle and Murphy "nervously agreed."
Smith allegedly found 0.3 gram of marijuana loose in the center console and digital scales between the console and seat. He also found a purse that Murphy reportedly admitted was hers that contained a baggie with 81 alprazolam pills, another 0.3 gram of marijuana, 0.1 gram of what later tested positive for meth, and $219 in cash.
Murphy was taken into custody and asked if she had anything else in her possession and she reportedly said no. Once at the detention center, deputies searched her and allegedly found another baggie of meth, 2.9 grams, hidden on her person.
A female deputy took her into a restroom to perform a strip search, but prior to the search Murphy allegedly sat down on a toilet quickly, removed two more baggies from herself and flushed them.
• A local man allegedly intoxicated from inhaling air duster was arrested Saturday morning on multiple charges after reportedly wrecking into a mailbox and attempting to flee police, almost hitting an officer in the process.
Mark Christopher Willis, 35, who lists a South Street address, was taken into custody shortly before 9:30 a.m. and charged with misdemeanor counts of driving while intoxicated, drugs, criminal attempt to flee in a vehicle, second-degree criminal mischief, first-degree assault and possession of an instrument of crime.
Willis, who was also cited for careless and prohibited driving, driving left of center and no liability insurance, was later released on $4,500 bond and is set to appear Feb. 19 in district court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Officer Wes Smith responded to the area of Greenwood Avenue and Third Street in reference to multiple calls about a possibly intoxicated driver in a white SUV southbound on Third Street.
Smith spotted a white Volkswagen Tiguan driving in the opposing traffic lane at a very slow speed and attempted a traffic stop. The vehicle continued south on Third Street swerving back into the northbound traffic lane before veering onto the curb and into a front yard in the 1100 block of Third, colliding with and damaging a mailbox.
The vehicle came to rest against a retaining wall as Smith and Cpl. Kenny May approached. The driver, later identified as Willis, allegedly inserted an air duster into his mouth and inhaled in view of the officers. Smith noted he appeared disoriented and confused, using slurred speech.
The officers ordered Willis to turn off the vehicle, but instead he allegedly put it in reverse and accelerated backwards "in an apparent attempt to avoid apprehension." In doing so, he nearly struck Officer 1st Class John McLean, who was approaching the rear of the vehicle to assist the other officers.
McLean reportedly had to run backwards to avoid being struck by Willis who was eventually taken into custody. In plain view in the floorboard was the can of air duster which was confiscated.
Local on 02/12/2019