Searcy County Sheriff Kenny Cassell reported on September 17 that Matthew Todd Johns, age 34, of Leslie was arrested in Leslie following a traffic stop conducted by Searcy County Deputy Sgt. Kevin Trammell.

Cassell said that Trammell and Reserve Deputy Dustin Rosenberger noticed that Johns failed to use his turn signal when he left the highway and turned into a local convenient store. After Johns left the convenience store, Trammell and Rosenberger stopped him on Main Street.

When Rosenberger approached Johns' vehicle to ask for his driver's license and proof of insurance, he noticed that Johns was smoking a cigarette and had an infant in the back seat of the car. Johns provided his insurance card but stated he did not have his license with him.

After running Johns' name through dispatch, they learned he was ordered by the court to have an interlock device in any vehicle he operated. Trammell asked Johns to step out of his vehicle and while they were discussing the interlock device, Trammell detected a strong odor of alcohol on Johns' breath. When asked about the odor, Johns said he had "three or four shots of whiskey" earlier in the day and just needed to drive to Leslie to buy cigarettes.

During the encounter, Trammell contacted Marshall Officer Logan Baker, and asked him to respond with a portable breath test. While waiting on Baker to arrive, they conducted a series of field sobriety tests on Johns, who failed all three tests. Once Baker arrived on the scene and administered a portable breath test, Johns was arrested and transported to the Searcy County Detention Center by Baker. Trammell waited at the scene for the infant to be picked up by the Department of Human Services.

After being administered a breath test at the detention center, his final result was. 081 which met the standard for DWI.

Twentieth Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Carol Crews and Searcy County Deputy Prosecutor Ben Fruehauf charged Johns with DWI III Class U misdemeanor; first degree endangering the welfare of a minor, Class D felony; smoking in a vehicle with a child, misdemeanor; fail to use turn signal, misdemeanor; no driver's license in his possession, misdemeanor. and failure of ignition interlock device.

Johns is currently being held in the Searcy County Detention Center awaiting a bond hearing.