Woman pulls gun, calls 911 on teens raising funds for football team

WYNNE — A Cross County jail administrator’s wife allegedly held a group of black teens at gunpoint while they were going door to door to raise money for their high school football team.

Jerri Kelly, 46, came out of her Wynne residence with a firearm Aug. 7 after four students approached to sell restaurant coupon cards.

She allegedly demanded the teens — some of whom were in their school jerseys — get on the ground with their hands behind their backs.

After calling 911, she stood over them with a gun until officers arrived, authorities said. Police took the teens home and arrested Kelly after investigating the incident.

Kelly, who is married to Cross County Jail Administrator Joe Kelly, was booked Monday on charges for aggravated assault, false imprisonment and endangering a minor, authorities said.

Cross County Sheriff David West said Kelly doesn’t have a mugshot because she had a medical issue while being booked, news station WMC reported.

“I’m professional. My department is professional,” West told the news station.

“There was no special treatment. She went through the steps just like any other person would.”

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Epileptic boy found wandering the streets after being placed on bus

FORREST CITY — A young boy was found wandering the street in Forrest City Tuesday after school staff incorrectly placed him on a bus.

Staff at Stewart Elementary School said the boy told them he rode the bus.

According to reports, 9-year-old Kemarion Tucker suffers from epilepsy. Tucker’s mother Kionna Patillo said her brother told her that afternoon Tucker wasn’t at school.

The staff said Tucker told them he rides the bus to school and that’s why they placed him in one.

Patillo said that’s incorrect, but what makes this matter worse, she says, is the fact he had three seizures that day.

“He wasn’t in his right mind to answer you, and even if he was, you shouldn’t go by what a child says,” Patillo said.

The family met with Following the incident, Patillo and her aunt Deborah Bailey had a meeting with school officials about what exactly happened. They’re hopeful this won’t happen again to their family or any others.

“I do feel confident they mean what they said, and now it’s just a matter of time to make sure this plan is actually followed,” Bailey said.

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Rural sheriff making a big impact in small-town drug traffic

SEARCY COUNTY — A drug problem in a rural Arkansas county has one sheriff leading an aggressive approach.

Since taking office in January, Searcy County sheriff Kenny Cassell and his team have arrested more than 50 people as a result of nearly a dozen drug raids, according to authorities.

“We do have a drug problem like every county in the state,” Cassell says. “Mostly meth… starting to see some heroin, some cocaine.”

His team’s most recent bust happened just last week at an apartment complex in Leslie. Cassell says in that case a 1-year-old child was in the home where the drug bust was made. The child was taken into DHS custody.

The rural area spans more than 600 square miles.

Cassell’s team, including himself, consists of a chief deputy and four other deputies with occasional help from surrounding communities.

“Even with the small amount of resources we have, Sheriff Cassell has been very aggressive,” Andy McCutcheon says.

McCutcheon grew up in the area and says it’s sad to see drugs plague the town he knows so well, but it’s comforting to know it’s getting the sheriff’s attention.

“If they can continue that, they’ll make a dent.”

With a little more than three months left in the year, Sheriff Cassell hints that his office isn’t slowing down any time soon.

If they’re selling drugs in this county,” he says, “we’re coming after them.”