Searcy County Sheriff Kenny Cassell reported on Thursday, October 24, Gary Jo Goldman, age 29, of Gassville, Arkansas was arrested in Searcy County on domestic battery and drug charges.

According to Cassell, the arrest occurred while Searcy County Deputy Sgt. Kevin Trammell and Searcy County Chief Deputy Dewayne Pierce were on patrol and was advised of a reckless driver who had pulled a weapon on a passing vehicle in Van Buren County but had entered Searcy County. According to the dispatcher, the car had turned on Hwy. 27 north toward Yellville.

When the car driven by Goldman pulled in to Crockett's Store at Harriet, deputies executed a traffic stop. After deputies explained to Goldman the reason for the stop, they asked if he had a weapon in the vehicle. Goldman stated that his gun, a Lorcin .380 handgun, was in the cargo pocket of the driver's door. Golden told deputies that he had not pointed the weapon at anyone.

As Trammell spoke with Golden, Pierce secured the gun and noted that the chamber of the gun was empty but it contained a magazine with two live rounds of ammunition. Another magazine was found in the gun's bag and it also contained two live rounds.

While speaking with Goldman, the deputies also noticed that a female passenger in the vehicle had injuries to her lip and left side of her face and neck. After speaking with the passenger, she confirmed that Goldman did pull the weapon out of the case during the incident with the other driver and held it in his hand by the steering wheel. She also told officers that Goldman had struck her in the face and left leg area several times and bit her fingers beginning in Damascus (Van Buren County) until the time of the traffic stop at Crockett's.
Goldman was arrested and transported to the Searcy County Jail. His female passenger agreed to follow the deputies to the detention center so they could conduct an interview.

While Goldman was being booked into the detention center, Detention Officer Dustin Rosenberger found marijuana and a smoking device in his pants pockets.

Goldman was charged with felony third degree domestic battery; furnishing prohibited articles, Class C felony; possession of a controlled substance, Class A misdemeanor; and possession of drug paraphernalia, Class A misdemeanor.  Goldman is currently being held in the Searcy County Detention Center awaiting a bond hearing.

Note:  Van Buren County Sheriff Lucas Emberton was contacted concerning the incident that had occurred in Van Buren County.  The Sheriff sent a criminal investigator from his agency to Searcy County to conduct a follow up investigation concerning the "road rage", aggravated assault incident that occurred in Van Buren County.