Two local felons were arrested Thursday by Hot Springs police in separate incidents within 30 minutes of each other on East Grand Avenue after they were each caught allegedly driving stolen vehicles.
Jason Dean "Spaceman" Odom, 44, who lists a Little John Trail address, was taken into custody shortly after 3 p.m. and charged with theft by receiving over $1,000, punishable by up to six years in prison, and was being held on $2,500 bond and was set to appear Friday in Garland County District Court.
Odom was previously convicted July 26, 2011, in Crawford County of second-degree sexual assault and sentenced to 10 years in prison, with all 10 years suspended, and was required to register as a sex offender.
Justin Scott Chambers, 36, who lists a Blakehill Place address, was taken into custody shortly before 3:30 p.m. and charged with theft by receiving over $5,000, punishable by up 10 years in prison. He was later released on a $3,500 bond and is set to appear May 27 in district court.
Chambers was previously convicted Oct. 7, 2019, of theft by receiving over $1,000 and possession of a controlled substance, meth, and sentenced to five years in prison, but was later paroled. On March 18, he was arrested on a felony count of theft of property over $1,000 and released on a $2,500 bond. He failed to appear for his arraignment on March 29 and was arrested again on April 8. He pleaded not guilty the next day to the theft and failure to appear charges and was released on a $5,000 bond and is scheduled for a felony review hearing on the theft charge on June 1.
According to the probable cause affidavit for Odom's arrest, shortly before 3 p.m., Officer William Stockwell made a traffic stop on a red Chevrolet HHR in the 600 block of East Grand Avenue because it had a defective headlight.
Prior to stopping it, Stockwell was informed the vehicle was possibly stolen. Stockwell had the driver, identified as Odom, and a male and female passenger exit the vehicle and detained them. He checked the vehicle identification number of the car, valued at $1,650, and confirmed it was the one reported stolen on May 1 and took Odom into custody.
According to the affidavit on Chambers' arrest, shortly before 3:30 p.m., Officer 1st Class Brandon McAdoo was patrolling in the area of Millcreek Road and East Grand when he saw a male operating a black Honda motorcycle swerving as he drove.
He ran the license plate which showed the motorcycle had been reported stolen so he followed it and stopped it in the 200 block of East Grand. The operator, identified as Chambers, was taken into custody.
When asked where he got the motorcycle, Chambers allegedly stated he "just borrowed it" from a friend so he could run to the parole office for a meeting. The motorcycle, valued at $10,900, was reported stolen April 12 by a different person than the man Chambers claimed to have borrowed it from.
