By Joel Phelps
The Arkadelphian

A Hot Springs man faces felony charges in Clark County after officers were summoned to his Caddo Valley motel room for a medical welfare concern.

According to court documents filed this week, 46-year-old Carl R. Johnson, of 422 Mississippi St., Hot Springs, was in possession of methamphetamine and a felonious amount of marijuana when police and paramedics were called to Econo Lodge at midnight Saturday, Oct. 2.

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Officers with the Caddo Valley Police Department were dispatched there when an innkeeper called to report someone in a room calling for help. Officer James Brown responded, knocked at the door and heard someone moaning inside the room. 

The affidavit notes that the door opened just wide enough that Brown could see a person — later identified as Johnson — laying on the floor and believed him to be having a medical issue. At that time, Brown asked the innkeeper for an unlocking tool so he could gain entry. Brown also called for medical responders.

The affidavit says Johnson told authorities that two black males attempted to gain entry to his room and that he started having a seizure once he shut them out and locked the door. Paramedics arrived to check on Johnson’s well-being and asked to have a look at his medications. A medic found three plastic bags containing marijuana inside Johnson’s bag of medication, according to the affidavit. Johnson said he was the holder of a medical marijuana card, but admitted that it had expired.

A check by Brown through the state’s criminal information center (ACIC) revealed that Johnson had a warrant for a parole violation, and he asked Johnson if he could remove himself from the floor without assistance. The affidavit states that as Johnson was getting to his feet, Brown observed a bag containing methamphetamine  beneath Johnson.

Both substances were seized as evidence, and Johnson was transported to the Clark County Detention Center without incident.