BENTONVILLE -- Two Benton County Sheriff's Office deputies and a Cave Springs police officer fired shots after they attempted an arrest during a drug sting in a Rogers Wal-Mart parking lot last week, according to court documents filed Wednesday.
Jose Centeno, 30, of Springdale was being held in the Benton County Jail on a $100,000 bond Wednesday. He was arrested in connection with attempted capital murder, aggravated assault, conspiracy to deliver methamphetamine, fleeing, possession with the intent to deliver methamphetamine or cocaine, tampering with physical evidence and a parole violation. Prosecutors haven't filed formal charges against Centeno. His arraignment is set for 8 a.m. June 6 in Circuit Judge Robin Green's court.
Bill Sadler, a spokesman for the State Police, said Tuesday the Benton County Prosecutor's Office asked the agency to investigate the incident. Nathan Smith, prosecutor, will determine if the shooting was justified once the investigation is complete. No one was injured in the incident.
Sheriff's Office detectives, through a source, arranged to buy methamphetamine from Centeno, and a meeting was arranged at the Pleasant Grove Wal-Mart in Rogers, according to a probable cause affidavit.
That incident was mentioned in a Monday memorandum sent by the mayors and police chiefs of Bentonville and Rogers to Benton County justices of the peace just hours before the Committee of the Whole was to start interviewing candidates for interim sheriff. City officials also cited three other sting operations by the Sheriff's Office in Rogers this year in the memorandum.
Centeno called the source at 12:50 a.m. Saturday to report he was near the pharmacy, according to the affidavit.
Two deputies and the Cave Springs police officer moved their vehicles behind Centeno's vehicles, while two other deputies moved their vehicles in front of Centeno's, the affidavit states.
The deputies got out of their vehicles and announced "Sheriff's Office," according to the affidavit.
Cpl. M. Nading reported he was to the front of Centeno's vehicle, just off to the driver's side. Nading said he ordered Centeno to show his hands, the affidavit states.
Nading said Centeno started his vehicle and moved it in reverse. Centeno rammed Lt. Nathan Coy's truck, causing the truck door to strike Coy and knock him to the ground. Coy is a Cave Springs officer and the truck is a Cave Springs police vehicle, according to the affidavit.
Nading said Centeno began to drive forward and swerved his vehicle toward him. Nading stepped back to get out the way, but Centeno struck Nading with his vehicle. Nading flipped over the hood of Centeno's vehicle before he fell to the ground, the affidavit states.
Nading, Detective C. Kelley and Coy then fired shots at Centeno, according to the affidavit. Court documents didn't specify how many shots each of them fired. The affidavit didn't include Nading's or Kelley's first names.
Centeno was able to flee the parking lot, but lost control of his vehicle just north of the intersection of West New Hope Road and South 26th Street. Deputies were then able apprehend and arrest Centeno, according to court documents.
Deputies didn't find any weapons or drugs in Centeno's vehicle, but Major Lynn Hahn with the Sheriff's Office found a small black case in the street with an one ounce of methamphetamine in separate baggies, according to court documents.
Deputies obtained recordings of the incident captured by Wal-Mart surveillance cameras, according to the affidavit.
Cave Springs Police Joe Powell said Wednesday he was aware (Nathan) Coy was working with Sheriff's Office deputies. Coy assists in the special operations division, Powell said.
Coy was commissioned by the sheriff and works with deputies in a way similar to a task force, Powell said.
Coy works under the Sheriff's Office when he assists deputies, Powell said.
Coy's take-home vehicle was damaged during the sting. Powell said he was aware Coy was driving the vehicle to the Sheriff's Office and aware he used the vehicle in sting operations. That will change, Powell said.
"I will say from this day forward when he works with the division he will no longer use his Cave Springs vehicle," Powell said.
Coy is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation by Arkansas State Police and internal investigations by Cave Springs police and the Sheriff's Office, Powell said.
It's unknown if Nading and Kelley are on administrative leave.
"We aren't releasing any information until the investigation is complete and has been cleared through the PA's office," Keshia Guyll, spokeswoman for the Sheriff's Office, said Wednesday.
Guyll said they weren't releasing the first names of the two deputies.
NW News on 04/28/2016