Altercation over groceries results in felony arrest

Octavious Jeron Montgomery - Submitted photo
Octavious Jeron Montgomery - Submitted photo

A homeless man was arrested Sunday after he allegedly threatened another man with a knife during an altercation over a bag of groceries outside The Salvation Army of Hot Springs.

Octavious Jeron Montgomery, 45, who lists his address as "city streets," was taken into custody around 1:15 p.m. and charged with a felony count of first-degree terroristic threatening, punishable by up to six years in prison.

He was being held on a $2,500 bond and was set to appear Monday in Garland County District Court.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Hot Springs police responded to The Salvation Army of Hot Springs, 115 Crescent Ave., regarding an altercation that had just occurred. The alleged victim who said a Black man wearing a black hoodie with "Straight out of Compton" on the front had pulled a knife on him and threatened to kill him.

The victim said the altercation started over a bag of groceries provided by The Salvation Army. A witness told police he had seen the man, who he knew as "Octavious," pull out a folding knife and threaten the other man. The witness said he pulled out his own folding knife and asked Octavious to leave.

A second witness also corroborated the statement of the victim and witness who told officers they last saw the suspect walking north on Malvern Avenue.

Officers spotted a man who matched the description, later identified as Montgomery, at the corner of Kirk Street and Malvern and questioned him. Montgomery told them he had a screwdriver in his pocket, but no knife and officers did not find one in his possession.

While at the detention center being booked, Montgomery allegedly made a spontaneous statement that he was only planning to "kick (the victim's) (expletive)."

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