Officer Chris Rankin

Public Information Officer

903-798-3187 (office) 903-260-0294 (pager)

903-824-4199 (cell) 903-798-3023 (fax)

Texarkana Arkansas Police Badge

Re: Armed Robbery Arrests

Texarkana Arkansas Police Officers arrested four men in connection with an armed robbery that occurred early Sunday morning.

On 8/27/06 at 3:50am officers were called to a report of an armed robbery that had just occurred at Denny's Restaurant on N. State Line. TAPD Officer Josh Laster had been working contract off-duty security at the restaurant and was advised by witnesses that a customer had just been robbed at gunpoint in the parking lot. Officer Laster immediately exited the restaurant and attempted to locate the suspects. The officer saw the suspect vehicle, a blue 1999 Ford Expedition, leaving the scene and was able to give a detailed description of the vehicle.

Officer Wayne Easley was in the area and observed the suspect vehicle travelling eastbound on I-30. Officer Easley was able to stop the vehicle at the 3 mile marker of Interstate 30.

The victim advised officers at the scene that he had been approached by two black males in the parking lot of the restaurant. The suspects began a conversation and asked the victim about the tires and rims that were on his vehicle. It was during this that one of the suspects drew a handgun and stuck it into the victim's back. The victim was knocked to the ground and his wallet was stolen. The victim identified two suspects and he observed a third individual that was driving the suspect vehicle.

During the course of the investigation officers located the victim's wallet and a loaded .380 caliber handgun that had been discarded on I-30 just prior to the location of the traffic stop.

The armed suspect was identified as Otis Arnold (b/m/31 Magnolia, AR) and the second suspect was identified as Kearthur Brantley (b/m/22 Magnolia, AR). The driver was identified as Carlton Stewart (b/m/23 Waldo, AR). A fourth suspect, Jasmins Howard (b/f/19 Texarkana, AR) was also in the vehicle and her involvement remains under investigation.

All four suspects have been booked into the Bi-State Jail on charges of Aggravated Robbery. No bond has been set at this time and investigators are still conducting interviews with potential witnesses.

Thank you and you can visit the Texarkana Arkansas Police Department online at http://www.txkusa.org/arkpolice.