Shots at Arkansas police officer draw State Hospital stay for suspect

25-year-old deemed unfit for trial in Ashdown gunfire; treatment ordered

The man who is accused of shooting at an Ashdown police officer last spring remains in the State Hospital in Little Rock for mental health treatment, according to Little River County court records.

Glenn Lee Derricks, 25, of Dallas was issued a commitment order Sept. 9 and was deemed unfit to proceed.

The order directing the hospital to accept Derricks for court-ordered mental health treatment was issued Oct. 6, court records state. He will remain there until he is deemed competent to stand trial.

Derricks is accused of shooting at Ashdown Police Department Patrolman Darren Black at 8:29 p.m. March 20 about two blocks from Little River County Courthouse.

Black was conducting a traffic stop on North Third Street in Ashdown, based on an alert from Howard County, when Derricks, a passenger in a vehicle, got out of the car and started shooting at Black, authorities said. Arkansas State Police Trooper Josh Broughton also was there.

Two bullets struck the front of the patrol car, and one struck the driver-side mirror as Black exited the police car, according to the arrest affidavit. Another bullet struck a vehicle across the street, and one went through a window of the residence at 311 W. Main St., lodging in the headboard of a bed inside. Another bullet hit the office wall of Ashdown City Attorney Lindsey Thomason and was found on the floor next to a desk.

The driver of the car was Khadijah Johnson, who was taken into custody after the shooting and identified the suspect as Derricks.

Johnson said Derricks told her he was going to shoot at the officer if he attempted to stop them, according to the affidavit. Johnson also said Derricks told her to get on the floor when they stopped, before he exited the vehicle.

Derricks eluded police the night of March 20 and into the early-morning hours of March 21, until he was arrested in the Ashdown City Park.

Metro on 12/12/2017

Upcoming Events