THURSDAY UPDATE:
Authorities have arrested a central Arkansas woman accused of dragging an officer 30 feet with her car Saturday while fleeing a Walmart.
The Searcy Police Department received an anonymous tip Thursday that led to the arrest of 35-year-old Stephanie Carter from a home in Jacksonville.
Carter was taken to the White County jail on charges of aggravated robbery, first-degree escape, second-degree battery, aggravated assault, leaving the scene of an accident with injury and theft of property.
She also had several unrelated warrants from other agencies, authorities said.
— Jaime Dunaway
MONDAY STORY:
A central Arkansas woman dragged an officer 30 feet with her car while fleeing a Walmart store Saturday, police said, leaving her two daughters behind.
Stephanie Carter, 35, of Jacksonville faces charges that include aggravated robbery, first-degree escape, second-degree battery, aggravated assault, leaving the scene of an accident with injury and theft of property.
Carter, who had her two juvenile daughters with her at the time, was initially taken into custody at the store at 3509 E. Race Ave., according to a news release from the Searcy Police Department.
While a responding officer waited for a guardian to pick up the children, Carter slipped out of her handcuffs and ran to her vehicle parked in the retailer's parking lot, the release states. Authorities said that prompted the officer to chase after her and try to pull her out of the vehicle.
The 35-year-old later put the vehicle in reverse and backed up, pinning the officer and dragging him about 30 feet before leaving her daughters behind, police said.
Carter’s vehicle was eventually located in Jacksonville, but the woman had not been arrested as of Monday morning.
The officer, who hasn’t been named, was taken to Unity Health in Searcy for his injuries and later released, authorities said.
— Brandon Riddle
