Bomb threat causes disruption at NEA Walmart
BATESVILLE — The Batesville Police Department responded to a bomb threat at Walmart Supercenter (Store 119) located at 3150 Harrison Street at approximately 7:50 p.m. Monday.
According to a press release from the Batesville Police Department, a male caller contacted the store and while speaking to a Warmart Associate stated he was going to blow the store up.
The store and surrounding businesses were shut down and evacuated; Explosive Detection K-9’s from North Little Rock Police Department responded to the scene. The area was searched, no explosives were detected by the K9 teams and the area was then released back to the businesses.
In the press release, Batesville Police Chief Alan Cockrill wrote that he thanks “…the North Little Rock Police Department for sending the K9 Teams, Batesville Fire Department, Arkansas State Police and Vital Link Ambulance Service for having personnel on standby. Also all the Warmart associates for their patience and understanding while working through the process with law enforcement.”
The investigation is ongoing no suspect or persons of interest will be named unless charges are prepared to be filed by the prosecuting attorneys office.
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JONESBORO — AWynne man was sentenced to 10 years in prison Monday after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter and two counts of second-degree battery in a fatal Jan. 1, 2021, crash in Jonesboro.
Circuit Judge Randy Philhours also imposed 16 years of suspended sentence for Devonte Stanback, 29.
Stanback was convicted in connection to fleeing a police pursuit from a Brookland police officer after a traffic stop was initiated along U.S. 49 for running a red light, according to the probable cause affidavit.
As he entered Jonesboro, state police took over the chase and noted that Stanback reached speeds exceeding 100 mph.
Before turning onto Harrisburg Road, Stanback “appeared to have turned off (his) lights during the attempt to elude pursuing officers,” the affidavit read. A witness reported that they saw Stanback throw a bag from the vehicle at the intersection of Aggie Road and Red Wolf Boulevard, it states. The Arkansas State University Police
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Department recovered the bag, which contained 4 pounds of marijuana.
Traveling northbound on Harrisburg, the 2020 Toyota Highlander left the east side of the road, traveled up a ditch embankment and hit a light pole and brick fence, according to Arkansas State Police.
“(The vehicle) went airborne colliding with an apartment complex. (It) came to final rest facing east in the yard of the apartment complex” in the 3800 block of Harrisburg Road, the ASP preliminary crash summary read.
Julianna Valle, 21, of Farmington, died in the accident, records show.
Darian Nauden, 24, of Conway, “sustained significant injuries and required hospitalization and a juvenile male under the age of 12 sustained life-threatening injuries as a result of the collision.”
A second minor was reportedly injured, but was not mentioned in the probable cause affidavit. According to the ASP preliminary summary, the injured parties, including Stanback, were treated at St. Bernards Medical Center.
As part of the plea agreement, two counts of endangering the welfare of a minor against Stanback were dropped.
After release from prison Stanback could be returned for the 16 years if he violates conditions of his probation.
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POCAHONTAS — Though it’s not new, the Black River Technical College Law Enforcement Training Academy (LETA) has developed Active Shooter Training for Educators.
BRTC LETA instructors have been offering this training for 10 years to interested school districts in order to provide the safest atmosphere for children to learn. This curriculum contains the most current guidelines established by the United States Department of Homeland Security.
Educators are taught how to identify threats, secure classrooms and react to active shooter events during the training, which is held on-site at the participating school.
This four-hour course will be submitted to the Arkansas Department of Education for approval for Professional Development.
However, the course is not currently eligible for professional development credit.
Active shooter response has been a hot issue since the May 24 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, where 19 children and two teachers were killed by an 18-yearold gunman. In Jonesboro, Police Chief Rick Elliott said members of his department have gone around to schools to offer advice to educators and staff.
“It’s more of how to respond and how to react,” he said. “Lockdown, basic things, get kids away from doors and windows.”
Elliott said officers show school employees how to use tourniquets and chest seals in case of emergency situations. He said schools have individual first aid kits available to use if needed.
He said JPD officers use about 15-20 tourniquets a year for gunshots, stabbings or car wrecks.
Elliott said he struggled to get schools to train on how to respond after the 1998 Westside school shooting, where he was one of the first responders.
“I’m glad people are doing it,” he said. “Everybody is stepping up to make sure people are trained.”
Craighead County Sheriff Marty Boyd said his office offers assessments of school properties and how to do a planned response for educators and staff.
His deputies assess the best escape routes to use during an active shooter situation.
“We’re (law enforcement) trained to stop the threat,” Boyd said. “We responded to active shooters before the term ‘active shooter’ was first used.”
Boyd, who was the first law enforcement officer on the scene at Westside, said he radioed deputies to the location of the shooters, who were apprehended.
For more information about the LETA program offered by BRTC, contact Bridgette Rose at (870) 248-4000, ext. 4190 or by email at Bridgette.Rose@blackrivertech. edu.
