A local man sentenced to six years in prison earlier this month for felony fleeing after he mistook a Garland County sheriff's patrol unit for a spaceship is facing new felony charges for allegedly attacking a deputy at the county detention center.
Marcus Alexander Calhoun, 26, had pleaded guilty May 2 in Garland County Circuit Court to felony fleeing stemming from a Dec. 1, 2021, pursuit and was sentenced to six years in prison and also pleaded to misdemeanor counts of driving while intoxicated, drugs, and was sentenced to one year in jail.
On May 18, additional felony charges of second-degree battery and possession of a weapon by an incarcerated person were filed in circuit court against Calhoun, each punishable by up to six years in prison. He is set to be arraigned on the new charges on June 9 in circuit court.
According to the affidavit on the new charges, on April 9, while working his regularly scheduled shift at the Garland County Detention Center, Deputy Ethan Miller had placed an inmate, identified as Calhoun, on disciplinary confinement for "lewd behavior" shortly after 11:30 a.m.
Shortly after 1 p.m., Miller opened Calhoun's cell door to give Calhoun a roll of toilet paper. At that point, Calhoun allegedly attacked Miller, striking him repeatedly. Calhoun then took a can of OC spray away from Miller, struck him with the can and then sprayed him with the chemical agent.
Multiple other inmates within the barracks broke up the altercation and physically restrained Calhoun until he could be placed back in his cell and the door closed.
The affidavit notes Miller suffered bruising to his face and scrapes to his right arm during the altercation with Calhoun.
A warrant on the new charges was prepared on April 11 by sheriff's Investigator Sgt. Kenny Ford and the charges were formally filed on May 18.
According to the affidavit on the previous fleeing charge, on Dec. 1, shortly before midnight, Sheriff's Cpl. Matthew Cogburn attempted to make a traffic stop on a speeding passenger car on Albert Pike which refused to stop.
The pursuit, which reached speeds up to 85 mph, continued until the driver, identified as Calhoun, finally stopped at the entrance to the detention center, 3564 Albert Pike, where he indicated he fled because he thought Cogburn's patrol unit was "a spaceship" chasing him. He also admitted to being high on meth at that time.