A traffic stop on a vehicle with fictitious tags early Sunday led to the arrest of a female felon with a gun and a male suspect being sought on felony and misdemeanor warrants.
The driver, Anthony Jerome Ford Jr., 31, who lists a Highland Street address, was taken into custody around 4:30 a.m. on warrants for second-degree criminal mischief, a felony punishable by up to six years in prison, first-degree criminal mischief and third-degree domestic battery, misdemeanors punishable by up to one year in jail, all stemming from the same incident.
Tori Elizabeth Cochran, 29, who lists a Hallmark Street address, was taken into custody around 4:30 a.m. and charged with a felony count of possession of a firearm by certain persons, punishable by up to six years.
Ford remained in custody Monday in lieu of bonds totaling $4,500 and a parole hold while Cochran was released on $2,500 bond. Both are set to appear Jan. 8 in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit for Cochran, Hot Springs police Officer 1st Class Zachary Brown was on patrol in the area of Convention Boulevard when he saw a gray Chevrolet Equinox with a license plate that returned to a white Chevrolet Malibu, so he stopped it in the 200 block of Civic Street.
He made contact with the occupants, identified as Ford and Cochran, and immediately noted an odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. A computer check revealed the three warrants for Ford's arrest, so he was taken into custody.
The vehicle was searched and in the glove compartment, directly in front of Cochran, Brown reportedly found a loaded 9-mm pistol. A computer check showed Cochran was previously convicted of a felony count of possession of a controlled substance in Pulaski County in 2009 and Ford had prior felony convictions from 2013, so Cochran was also taken into custody.
At the detention center, Cochran reportedly admitted the gun belonged to her and that she carried it "out of fear of her ex-husband." Ford denied any knowledge of the gun.
According to the affidavits for Ford's charges, on Nov. 24, shortly before 2:30 a.m., police responded to a residence in the 100 block of Harvard Street to a reported disturbance.
Officers spoke to a woman who stated she had been assaulted by the father of her children, identified as Ford, moments earlier. She said Ford had come to her residence and asked her for a ride and she agreed, driving him in her 2008 Cadillac down Harvard Street in the direction he indicated.
While she was driving, Ford began arguing and yelling at her so she turned around to take him back to her residence. She said he became irate and began hitting her in the face so she exited the vehicle to get away from him.
At that point, he got in the driver's seat and drove away "in a reckless manner." He made it about three houses when he drove off the road into an embankment, causing an estimated $7,144 in damages to her car.
Then he returned to the residence and allegedly kicked in the front door to gain entry and began hitting the victim again. The victim's sister, who is the listed owner of the residence, reportedly witnesses the incident and estimated damage to her door at over $400.
Ford had fled the scene before officers arrived but warrants were later issued for his arrest. Officers noted the victim had red marks and bruising on her face from the alleged assault.
Local on 12/18/2018