Hot Springs police arrested two local men and recovered two stolen trailers carrying sound equipment and a 4-wheeler in two separate traffic stops on Wednesday.
According to the affidavits, the first occurred shortly before 11:30 a.m. Wednesday when Officer 1st Class Brandon McAdoo was patrolling in the area of the frontage road off East Grand Avenue and Millcreek Road and spotted a Uhaul pulling an unlicensed white box trailer with nonworking taillights.
Due to the position of the trailer, McAdoo was unable to see if the Uhaul's taillights were working, so he made a traffic stop on the vehicle in the 700 block of Millcreek Road.
He made contact with the driver, identified as Tyler Scott Martin, 26, who lists a Ledgerock Road residence and is a felon on parole. He was previously convicted in Garland County Circuit Court on March 17, 2020, of theft by receiving over $5,000 involving a stolen car and sentenced to six years in prison.
During the stop, officers observed a label on the trailer that had a man's name on it which was the same name a check of the registration returned to. Officers contacted the man who stated no one was supposed to have his trailer, which was loaded with various electronic sound equipment valued at $10,000. The value of the trailer was estimated at $1,000.
The man stated the trailer was supposed to be at his house in Hot Springs Village. After further investigation, Martin was taken into custody and charged with a felony count of theft by receiving over $5,000, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Martin remained in custody Thursday in lieu of a $3,500 bond and is set to appear today in Garland County District Court.
The second incident occurred shortly before 8:30 p.m. Wednesday when Sgt. Joey Williams saw a 2008 Ford Edge towing a trailer with a defective brake light westbound on Prospect Avenue.
A check of the license plate on the trailer also showed the registration was canceled, so Williams stopped the vehicle and made contact with the driver, identified as David Jacob Johannsen, 31, who lists a Belvedere Drive address.
A computer check showed Johannsen had a suspended driver's license and has been convicted four times for driving on a suspended license. He was reportedly unable to provide any registration for the trailer or "give a clear explanation of where or when he acquired it."
A 2010 Arctic Cat 4-wheeler, valued at $3,750, was on the trailer and a check of the vehicle identification number showed it had been reported stolen in Garland County.
During an inventory of the vehicle, Williams allegedly found two used syringes in a bag and Johannsen reportedly admitted they belonged to him and that "he has an addiction to meth."
Johannsen was taken into custody and charged with a felony count of theft by receiving over $2,500, punishable by up to six years in prison, and misdemeanor counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and driving on a suspended license.
He was later released on a $5,000 bond and is set to appear March 18 in district court.