An Oklahoma man wanted in connection to a February homicide was recovering Wednesday at an Arkansas hospital after purportedly eating narcotics that were in his car during a traffic stop the previous night, police said.
The El Dorado Police Department said officers arrested Cheo McCoy, 44, of Oklahoma City during a traffic stop around 11 p.m. on Tuesday in the 5500 block of North Smith Street.
El Dorado police spokesman Lt. Christopher Lutman said McCoy gave officers a fake name, and that they found drug paraphernalia, as well as K2 — a synthetic form of marijuana — in his vehicle. Police said they believe McCoy ingested drugs either before or during the stop.
Lutman said shortly after officials booked McCoy into the Union County jail he began having medical problems. “He went downhill real quick,” the spokesman said.
Police later learned McCoy had an arrest warrant stemming from the shooting death of 39-year-old Matt Bowens at an Oklahoma City apartment on Feb. 10.
Other than some pain, Lutman said McCoy was “on the uphill swing” and was awake and speaking to officers in a local hospital Wednesday morning.
The 44-year-old also faces local charges for allegedly giving a false name to police and drug possession, police said.
Lutman said authorities are working with officials in Oklahoma to arrange for McCoy’s return there.