A local man was arrested late Monday after allegedly trying to carjack a woman's car in the drive-thru of a fast-food restaurant and later trying to carjack another man's car at knife point until the victim pulled a gun.
Jedadiah Conine Austin, 32, who lists a Casey Street address, was taken into custody shortly before 11 p.m. and charged with aggravated robbery, a felony punishable by up to life in prison.
Austin, who lists no prior felony history, remained in custody Tuesday on a zero bond and is set to appear today in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly before 9 p.m. Monday, Hot Springs police responded to Walmart, 4019 Central Ave., regarding a suspicious person.
They spoke to a woman, 52, in the parking lot who stated she had been accosted earlier by a white male in the drive-thru of Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, 102 Buena Vista Road.
She said the man approached her vehicle and attempted to get in through the driver's side window.
She said he ordered her to get out of the vehicle, but she refused and drove away toward the nearby Walmart parking lot where she called police.
While still on scene in the parking lot, officers overheard a disturbance several vehicle rows over and saw a white male matching the description given by the victim from Freddy's running west through the lot.
Officers chased the man, later identified as Austin, and took him into custody without incident.
Officers spoke to the victim of the disturbance who stated Austin had approached his blue 2006 Subaru Outback as he was opening the door and kicked his door.
He said Austin was holding a knife and told him, "Give me the car keys or I'm going to (expletive) kill you."
The man said he told Austin the keys were in the vehicle and Austin got in to try to steal it. At that point, the man displayed his handgun and ordered Austin to back away.
Austin reportedly threw his knife in the air and ran away through the parking lot until he was stopped by police.
When questioned later at the police department, after being read his rights, Austin reportedly admitted to trying to steal the vehicle with a knife.
The affidavit did not indicate if he admitted to the earlier incident.