Dispatch Desk: Dead dog found tangled in cable

The following incidents were gathered from reports filed Aug. 1-10, 2026, at the Arkadelphia Police Department and Clark County Sheriff’s Office. Arrested or cited individuals are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law. The Arkadelphian does not withhold names, so don’t even think about asking.

Arkadelphia Police Department

Sunday, Aug. 2

Juvenile report: Runaway

11:11 p.m.
Officers were called to Ridgecrest Apartments, 724 S. 10th St., for a disturbance in the lower parking lot. The property manager told police that a large group arrived and began yelling at a female, and that one male was waving a gun around. The female target corroborated that story, adding that she had been involved in a physical altercation with a known female. The property manager requested that the male and female who caused the scene be trespassed from the property should police locate them.

Monday, Aug. 3

Felony incident still under investigation: 2nd-degree battery, Cypress Court

Tuesday, Aug. 4

11:21 a.m.
Officers were requested at Happyland Child Care, 2012 Pine St., where the proprietor reported a neighbor caused a scene when she refused to pay him for landscaping work, which he had apparently done without being hired for the job. The angered neighbor got into his vehicle and spun out, flinging dirt onto the complainant’s Cadillac. The neighbor wasn’t home when police went to interview him.

3:03 p.m.
A female reported a no-contact order violation via a Facebook friend request. She was advised to contact the prosecutor’s office to pursue charges.

7:13 p.m.
A South 25th Street Circle resident reported the theft of her prescription pain medication from her daughter’s vehicle, which had been towed after a wreck.

Wednesday, Aug. 5

7:25 p.m.
A South 23rd Street woman reported investigating a loud bang outside her residence to find someone had left a trailer, with a truck loaded on it, in her front yard. Officers canvassed the neighborhood hoping to identify the owner of the truck/trailer or talk to witnesses, but had no luck. At the complainant’s request, the truck/trailer was towed from the property.

Thursday, Aug. 6

Felony incident still under investigation: Theft by receiving, 300 block of North 10th Street

Saturday, Aug. 8

4:30 p.m.
A Gurdon woman reported her involvement in a dispute with a known 22nd Street man over a house key and owed money.

Sunday, Aug. 9

3:45 p.m.
Officers responded to a residence at the 1500 block of Walnut Street for an animal welfare check. Police arrived to find a pit breed dog chained to a tree, with access to shade, food and water and in stable condition. Officers then located a deceased Great Dane inside a chain-link pen and entangled in its cable. The dog had overturned its food and water containers, both of which appeared to have been inaccessible to the animal. Police spoke with neighbors, who had last seen the dog alive about six hours prior, and that the owners had left the residence on Thursday or Friday. Animal Control arrived to take possession of the deceased animal, and was to return later to attempt contact with the owners.

7:12 p.m.
Police were called to the parking lot outside Little Caesars, 2708 Pine St., for a domestic disturbance involving two females. The aggressor had left the scene. Officers documented injuries to the victim, then responded to the residence of the suspect, Carolyn A. Gills, 66, and took her into custody on charges of 3rd-degree domestic battery.

7:56 p.m.
Police were called to Elliston Place Apartments, 222 N. 20th St., for a complaint of an intoxicated male subject harassing tenants. Contact was made with Gemayel Farrakhan McDonald, 40, who became argumentative and exhibited signs of intoxication. McDonald was arrested for public intoxication.

11:57 p.m.
Officers were dispatched to a report of road rage at Jordan’s Exxon, 203 N. 10th St. The caller reported a vehicle had nearly struck her as she was entering the parking lot. Police were able to identify the suspect as Steven Eric Benzer, 61, of Carrollton, Texas. Benzer repeatedly refused to provide officers with his identity, and was transported to the county jail, where he was positively identified and booked on the charge of obstructing governmental operations.

Clark County Sheriff’s Office

Sunday, Aug. 2

1:56 a.m.
A deputy patrolling 5th Street, Arkadelphia, observed a vehicle with an object hanging from its rearview mirror. A check of the license plate returned unconfirmed insurance, and a traffic stop was made in front of the Arkadelphia Police Department. The driver, 42-year-old Erica Leeper, of Hearn, could not provide her license or valid insurance, and said she had a warrants out of Hot Spring County and Dallas County, Texas. Because Leeper exhibited signs of intoxication, she was subjected to a series of field sobriety tests, which she failed. She was arrested for DWI and driving with a suspended license, obstruction of vehicle interior, and no liability insurance.