A Hot Springs Village man initially being arrested Thursday for reportedly trespassing in another man's house was soon facing a felony battery charge after allegedly attacking a Hot Springs police officer.
Daniel Ray Byrd, 20, who lists a Corboba Circle address, was taken into custody shortly before 4:30 p.m. and charged with second-degree battery on a law enforcement officer, punishable by up to six years in prison, and misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest, obstructing governmental operations and criminal trespass.
Byrd was being held on a $4,750 bond and was set to appear Friday in Garland County District Court.
Byrd was previously arrested on Aug. 18, 2022, on a felony charge of aggravated assault for allegedly attacking and trying to suffocate his girlfriend. He pleaded not guilty to the charge on Nov. 2 and was released on $3,500 bond on Dec. 6 with a disposition hearing in the case set for April 4 in Garland County Circuit Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly after 4 p.m., HSPD Cpl. Taylor Gates and Officer Cristian Rios responded to a residence in the 600 block of School Street regarding a man trespassing.
They spoke to the male resident, who stated a known suspect, identified as Byrd, ran into his residence and was refusing to leave. He said he wanted the officers to remove Byrd and he wanted to pursue a criminal trespassing charge.
Officers made contact with Byrd inside the residence and he reportedly agreed to come outside to speak with them. While officers were attempting to take him into custody, he began to "yell and pull away."
After he was handcuffed, he reportedly refused to walk to a police unit and began "shaking his body around" in a manner similar to that of a seizure. LifeNet was called to respond and officers placed Byrd into "the recovery position."
While in that position, Byrd reportedly spoke to his mother and responded to stimuli such as a "sternum rub." The affidavit notes both of these behaviors were inconsistent with an individual suffering from a seizure.
According to the affidavit on the alleged attack on his girlfriend, Byrd allegedly "faked a seizure" at one point to try to keep his girlfriend from leaving, but then grabbed her and pulled her to the ground.
The affidavit on the new charges states Byrd's actions "inhibited officers for several minutes" from removing Byrd from the victim's property and securing him in a police unit.
While attempting to put him in a unit, Byrd allegedly began kicking Gates in his right arm and then kicked him in his groin, causing "substantial pain," and inhibiting Gates from assisting the other officer trying to gain control of Byrd.
Byrd was finally taken into custody and after being cleared by LifeNet at the scene, he was transported to the Garland County Detention Center where he was booked in shortly before 6 p.m.