A Malvern man is accused of assaulting two Garland County sheriff’s deputies Wednesday before jumping into a lake in an attempt to flee authorities.
Rodney Todd Pennington, 46, was arrested on two counts of aggravated assault, two counts of second-degree battery and one count of fleeing after he swam to a nearby dock, where Arkansas State Police were waiting for him, according to the Sentinel-Record in Hot Springs.
The sheriff’s office said in an affidavit that it initially responded around 3:45 p.m. Wednesday to the 100 block of Bayou Point regarding a report of a domestic battery.
Upon the arrival of sheriff’s deputies, Pennington charged at them and resisted arrest, the document states. One of the responding deputies then, in an unsuccessful attempt to subdue Pennington, deployed a Taser, authorities said.
Pennington at that point punched another deputy in the jaw, pushed both deputies off of him, fled into the woods and swung a “very large stick” at the deputies before running down an embankment and jumping into the lake, according to the Sentinel-Record.
Pennington remained at the Garland County jail as of Friday morning, records show. He has a court appearance set for Sept. 12 in Garland County District Court.
Information for this article was contributed by Colbie McCloud of the Sentinel-Record.