A Royal man who identified himself as "Lucifer" was arrested early Wednesday after allegedly breaking into several vehicles and a house and fleeing from Garland County sheriff's deputies.
Shane Everett Ennis, 41, who lists a Ruchheit St. address in Royal, was taken into custody shortly after 7 a.m. and charged with felony counts of residential burglary, punishable by up to 20 years in prison, theft of property over $5,000, punishable by up to 10 years, and three counts of breaking or entering, each punishable by up to six years, and misdemeanor counts of fleeing on foot and obstructing governmental operations, each punishable by up to one year in jail.
Ennis remained in custody Thursday on an $18,000 bond and is set to appear today in Garland County District Court.
According to court records, he was convicted in 2017 for possession of drug paraphernalia and sentenced to three years in prison, but later paroled; in 2018 of criminal mischief and sentenced to six years' probation; and on July 13, 2022, of theft by receiving, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia and sentenced to 10 years in prison, all suspended, all in Benton County.
According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly after 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, sheriff's Deputy Michael Wagner responded to 198 W. Hawkview Place regarding a break-in to a vehicle in progress. The dispatcher advised the deputy that a white male was first seen breaking into a vehicle and then reportedly stole a white Chevrolet Cobalt, which he parked at a neighbor's house and then "took off walking."
Wagner spotted a man matching the description walking east on West Hawkview "just a few feet down" from the address where the initial incident was reported. As he got out to speak to the man, he turned around and started running away.
Wagner chased him and told him numerous times to stop, but he continued fleeing. During the chase, Wagner fell to the ground, sustaining a large abrasion on his right forearm and causing his pistol magazine holder to be torn off his duty belt.
As he continued chasing him, the man crossed a nearby body of water and continued running north. Wagner and Cpl. Devyn Holloway crossed the water and located the man "hiding behind a tree." As they took him into custody, the man identified himself as "Lucifer" and refused to provide any more information.
Wagner spoke to a woman, 19, who owned the Cobalt, who said her father had told her someone was in the vehicle outside her house. She said she looked out and saw someone inside it she didn't recognize and then the man parked her car next door and got out, prompting her to call 911.
Deputies located the car at the neighbor's house and noted the back door of the residence was open and it appeared someone had rummaged through the house. They contacted the homeowner, who was not at the scene, and he confirmed no one was supposed to be in his house. Since he wasn't there, he was unsure if anything was missing or damaged.
It was determined three vehicles had been broken into on the property and rummaged through, including a Ford Explorer, a Ford Escape and a Ford F-150 pickup truck. The affidavit notes the Cobalt is valued at $6,000.
Once at the detention center, the man in custody was identified as Ennis, whose listed residence in Royal is about 5 miles from the property on West Hawkview.