Man Arrested For Assault On Woman In Hot Springs National Park

Hot Springs National Park (AR)
Man Arrested For Assault On Woman

The park received several 911 calls on March 5th reporting that a man was beating a woman who was lying on the ground next to a vehicle at the entrance to the Gulpha Gorge campground. Rangers David Van Nest and John Hughes responded. While en route to the campground, an updated 911 call came in reporting that the man had fled on foot dressed in a white t-shirt covered with blood. The caller was attempting to follow him while rangers responded. Although a perimeter was set up, he managed to escape. Once on scene, the rangers determined that the woman had been riding in a pickup truck with her former boyfriend when he began assaulting her as they rode through the park, biting and striking the woman repeatedly. A three-year-old was standing on the front seat unrestrained in between the pair during the encounter. He then pulled over to the shoulder of the road, punched her again, knocked her out of the truck, then got out and began striking her as she lay on the ground. Passersby saw the assault and began making the 911 calls. Rangers learned that the man was staying in a local motel and the manager was asked to contact them if the returned. His truck was seized as evidence and stored at a local towing company. Within hours, the company called rangers and informed them that they had been contacted by the man, who wanted to get his truck and was on his way there. Rangers set up surveillance of the facility; within about an hour, he arrived, surrendered to them without incident, and was taken into custody. The man, a convicted felon who is on probation for battery and other violent acts, was booked into the county jail on federal charges.