LITTLE ROCK — NLR man accused of assault, theft
A North Little Rock man was arrested Friday morning at 65th Street and University Avenue and charged with aggravated assault and theft after police say he threatened one person with a utility knife and nearly hit another with his car.
Witnesses reported to Little Rock police that they saw Michael Crutchfield, 49, of 4301 North Hills Blvd. steal $3,300 worth of plant vases and pedestals from 4810 Western Hills Ave., near Western Hills Elementary School in Little Rock, a police report states.
Around 10:40 a.m., according to the report, Crutchfield pulled a box cutter and threatened one of the witnesses who confronted him. Crutchfield then got into a 1997 Ford Explorer and almost hit a second person while speeding away, the report states.
Someone followed Crutchfield until police officers were able to pull him over on 65th Street. Plant vases and pedestals were found inside the vehicle, along with a box cutter, police said.
Crutchfield was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated assault and one count each of theft, driving with a suspended license and improper display. He was being held Friday night at the Pulaski County jail in lieu of $15,400 bond.
Firefighters douse blaze in west LR
Forty firefighters responded to a blaze Friday evening at a house in a gated community in west Little Rock, Fire Department Capt. Edwin Woolf said.
The fire started in the attic at 39 Hickory Hills Circle shortly after 5 p.m. Several people were inside the brick home when the blaze broke out, but they made it to safety, Woolf said.
Firefighters quickly contained the fire that started near a chimney, Woolf said. A chain saw was used to cut a hole in the roof to clear the house of smoke, he said. The fire was extinguished by 6 p.m.
The cause of the fire and the amount of damage were not available Friday night.
LR shooting sends man to hospital
Officers responded Friday night to a shooting report at 3 Belmar Drive, near Mabelvale Pike and University Avenue, Little Rock police reported.
One unidentified man was transported to UAMS Medical Center with a gunshot wound around 9:30 p.m., police said.
Late Friday night, a police detective said officers were still gathering details at the scene and at the hospital and could not release any additional information. The man’s condition was unknown Friday night.
Arkansas, Pages 13 on 11/27/2010