A Hot Springs Village man was arrested late Wednesday after allegedly robbing Walmart armed with a BB gun, threatening to kill the clerk's family, attempting to rob a nearby gas station and briefly escaping from custody.
Adrias Robert Turner, 22, who lists a Mesero Way address, was taken into custody shortly after 10:30 p.m. and later charged with aggravated robbery, punishable by up to life in prison, and first-degree terroristic threatening and second-degree escape, each punishable by up to six years.
Turner was held overnight on a zero bond and was set to appear Thursday in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Garland County sheriff's Investigator Andrew Goodman was contacted by Sheriff's Cpl. Fred Hawthorn regarding a robbery that had just occurred at Walmart, 3604 Highway 7 north, where a Black male had reportedly used a BB rifle to threaten a store employee and fled with money from the cash register.
As Goodman arrived at the scene, he was told the suspect had left the rifle behind near the register before leaving the store. Video footage showed a light-skinned Black male wearing a mask, a dark hoodie, and light-colored shorts and shoes, pointing a gun at the cashier. After a few minutes, a second employee walked over and opened the cash register.
The suspect could be seen taking the money and fleeing the store to a white SUV that had pulled up near the front of the store.
The first cashier told Goodman she had noticed the suspect standing near a different register "messing with a rifle under his clothing." After a few moments, he turned to her and pointed the rifle at her. She said he told her to open the cash drawer and give him all the money. She stated he told her he knew her family and her children and would "come and kill them" if she called the police.
She said the second employee came over and opened the register allowing the suspect to take the money and leave.
Around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, deputies were dispatched to the Murphy USA station, 3608 Highway 7 north, regarding a suspect matching the description of the Walmart robber who had just attempted to take money from the gas station.
Deputy Bennie Strickland located a man, later identified as Turner, who matched the description and was walking on the driveway between the Murphy USA and the Walmart. Investigators Matthew Ellis and Don Yoak arrived to assist and in patting down Turner allegedly found a large amount of cash in his hoodie pocket and a baggie with 4.5 grams of marijuana.
The clerk at Murphy told Strickland the suspect had walked up to the window and told her to give him all the money in the cash register. She stated he told her if she called the cops he would kill her and her family.
Turner was taken to the sheriff's department for questioning and later charged with aggravated robbery and terroristic threatening. While Deputy Matt Cogburn was escorting him to a waiting unit to be taken to the detention center, Turner allegedly broke away and began running around to the back of the unit.
Cogburn and Strickland were able to tackle Turner to the ground and take him into custody again. An additional charge of second-degree escape was later added.
According to court records, Turner was previously arrested on April 2, 2016, and charged with a felony count of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer after spitting on a Hot Springs Village police officer. On July 17, 2017, Turner pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of third-degree battery, a misdemeanor, in the case and was sentenced to one year in jail, suspended, fined $1,000 and ordered to pay $170 in court costs.