Marion County Man Arrested Trying to Flee from Police

A 39-year-old Flippin man who tried to outrun the law on foot, faces a trio of felony charges after an incident behind Hobby Lobby in Mountain Home.

Ernie N. Haught III faces felony charges of possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), possession of a controlled substance (morphine) and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was also charged with misdemeanor fleeing on foot and resisting arrest.

According to the probable cause affidavit from the Mountain Home Police Department, an officer on uniformed patrol was checking the area near Hobby Lobby on Aug. 9 and saw a man walking with a vacuum cleaner in one hand a roll of foam bedding in the other.

The officer turned around and found the man, later identified as Haught, hiding in the shadows of a fenced area. When asked what he was doing, Haught claimed he had been “dumpster diving” behind the store.

A check of the man’s ID card showed Haught was wanted on a Marion County warrant. The affidavit states Haught began fidgeting during the warrant check and began reaching behind him. The officer brought Haught to his patrol cruiser and began to attempt a pat down. When the officer reached out for Haught’s wrist, the man jerked away and took off running.

The officer gave chase and warned Haught to stop or he would be tased. The first deployment of the taser was ineffective, with the affidavit stating the second shot “appeared to slow him down.” Another officer arrived on scene and the pursuing officer made a tackle of Haught and the officers combined to place him in handcuffs.

A search of Haught’s person revealed a cardboard knife box, which held a glass pipe wrapped in paper, commonly used to smoke methamphetamine. Officers then located a black pouch with a small plastic baggy containing a white, crystalline substance, along with two blue pills. Haught allegedly confirmed the white substance was meth and the blue pills were morphine, which he did not have a prescription for.

Haught was released on a $5,000 bond shortly after being booked into the Baxter County Detention Center.

(From: KTLO)