Clark County jailer back to work after arrest, plea to 6 misdemeanor charges

By JOE MAY | The Southern Standard

A Clark County jailer pleaded guilty in district court last week to six misdemeanor charges stemming from her arrest following a domestic incident at her residence near Arkadelphia on May 22.

According to an arrest report filed by Deputy Ryan Beard of the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, he and Deputy Josh Waldrum were dispatched to a White Road residence, where they found 31-year-old Catherine Rae Arnold, of Donaldson, standing in the face of the home’s resident.

After separating the women, it was alleged that they had been in the midst of a dispute after Arnold allegedly pulled the woman’s Apple watch off to make sure there was nothing in the messages and threw the band into some trees. She was reportedly upset because the resident had been talking to the father of the resident’s children.

Arnold then fled the scene in her car and as the woman got ready to back out of the driveway herself, she was forced to move after Arnold returned and began beating on her window, allegedly threatening to break it if she didn’t exit the vehicle.

The resident exited the car as the situation escalated. The report alleges that Arnold would not allow the woman to get back in her car, effectively keeping another woman and four children in the vehicle from being able to leave the property.

When the resident walked around the car to ask the passenger to call 911, Arnold allegedly grabbed her arm and yanked her away from the vehicle, instructing the woman not to call 911, saying she would leave the residence.

In Beard’s observation, he noted, “Arnold was aggressive, unruly, wouldn’t listen to verbal commands and had an odor of intoxicants coming from her person. Catherine stated she had been drinking and drove to the residence.”

Arnold was placed under arrest for public intoxication, disorderly conduct and four counts of endangering the welfare of a minor, all of which are misdemeanors. She was then transported to the Clark County Detention Center.

On June 14, online records reflect that Arnold pleaded guilty to all the charges in District Court before Judge Randy Hill.

For public intoxication, Arnold was fined $365, which is on hold until a review date of August 24; for disorderly conduct, she was fined $500, which is on hold pending review on August 24; on one of the endangering the welfare of a minor charges, she was given a suspended 90 days supervised probation and is to attend parenting classes; on another, she was given a $750 fine, which is on hold until August 24, and on the rest, the docket simply notes all fines have been suspended.

Asked about the issue, Sheriff Jason Watson declined comment.

Records in the county clerk’s office indicate that Arnold is still employed at the CCSO, having been hired on May 17 following an earlier employment with the department.