A Texas teen was arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges early Monday after he was reportedly found stuck in a ditch driving a stolen car with drug paraphernalia inside and briefly fought with Hot Springs police.
Damonte' Syless Ray Walters, 18, who lists a Henderson, Texas, address, was taken into custody shortly before 2 a.m. Monday and charged with felony counts of theft by receiving over $1,000 and possession of drug paraphernalia, each punishable by up to six years in prison, and misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest and obstructing governmental operations.
Walters, who also had a hold on him out of Gregg County, Texas, 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 after 1:30 a.m. Monday, Hot Springs police Officer 1st Class Wes Smith and Officer Nathan Thomas responded to the 1400 block of Carpenter Dam Road for a welfare check involving a vehicle stuck in a ditch and a male dressed all in black trying to hitchhike.
They found a white Chevrolet Cruze "stuck in a mud hole down a trail." A computer check on the license plate revealed the car had been reported stolen out of Kilgore, Texas.
Officers located a male in the driver's seat and attempted to detain him and put handcuffs on him when he allegedly began forcefully pulling away. Smith asked the male his name and he gave a name and date of birth and indicated he was from Oklahoma, but a computer check showed the name was false.
He was taken into custody and in searching the car officers allegedly found a glass meth pipe with residue on the floorboard and a digital scale with residue in the front passenger seat.
Once at the detention center, the male finally identified himself as Walters, which was verified, and discovered a warrant for his arrest out of Texas. A check of the Kelly Blue Book determined the Cruze was valued at $5,000.