A local man initially detained Saturday for suspected shoplifting was soon facing a felony charge after allegedly claiming to work for the Arkansas State Police.
Buddy Ray Rynders, 39, who lists a Graves Trail address, was taken into custody around 12:45 p.m. at Walmart, 1601 Albert Pike, and charged with a felony count of criminal impersonation, punishable by up to six years in prison, and a misdemeanor count of theft of property under $1,000, punishable by up to one year in jail.
Rynders was later released on $3,500 bond and is set to appear July 30 in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly after 12:30 p.m., Hot Springs police Officer Taylor Werst responded to Walmart regarding a theft and spoke to the store's asset protection manager who stated he and two employees had stopped a man, later identified as Rynders, after he passed all points of sale without paying for two wrenches and three spark plugs, valued at $30, which he had concealed inside his coat.
When they spoke to Rynders he allegedly told them he worked for the Arkansas State Police and showed them a laminated white piece of paper which he stated was issued to him by "the court system" and proved he worked for the ASP.
He reportedly claimed to work for the state police but could not say what position he held. In searching him, Werst located a small .22-caliber loaded handgun on his right hip and a pair of handcuffs attached to his belt. He said the cuffs were for "if he got into a physical altercation so he could detain the other person."
The report notes Rynders also had an Arkansas State Police belt buckle on.
• A Hot Springs Village felon was arrested early Saturday after he was reportedly found with a gun after wrecking his car into another vehicle and fleeing the scene.
David Garrison Goings, 22, who lists a Frontera Circle address, was taken into custody in the 200 block of Fountain Street shortly before 2 a.m. and charged with a felony count of possession of a firearm by certain persons, punishable by up to 20 years in prison, and leaving the scene of a property damage accident, punishable by up to one year in jail.
Goings was being held on $6,000 bond but also had a parole hold and a hold out of Walton County, Fla. He was set to appear Monday in district court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly after 7:30 p.m. Friday, police responded to Fountain Street regarding a hit and run in the area. Upon arrival, they found the suspect vehicle had been abandoned on the sidewalk after striking an unoccupied Hyundai Sonata, causing minor damage.
Some pedestrians in the area told police they saw a man wearing a backpack flee from the vehicle and run into the woods. A search of the woods was conducted and a man, identified as Goings, was eventually found hiding under a downed tree. A camouflage backpack was found in the same area.
The backpack was found to contain a loaded .40-caliber pistol, with a full magazine and one in the chamber. There was also a box of ammunition and a second fully loaded magazine in the backpack.
A computer check revealed Goings had a probation violation warrant out of Florida and was convicted of a felony in November 2017 in Garland County.
Local on 07/23/2019