Accident, Standoff Lead to Man's Arrest in Benton on String of Charges
By: KARK 4 News
Updated: November 9, 2012
Benton Police have arrested a man who got into an armed standoff with officers after an accident that left a passenger on his motorcycle critically injured.
The string of incidents started around 12:30 this morning when officers responded to the North Service Loop of Alcoa Road and I-30 on a report of an accident with injury involving a motorcycle and two riders.
While on the way to the accident scene, officers were told the driver of the motorcycle had driven away and left the injured passenger behind.
Officers were able to catch up to the driver, identified later as John Bunton, 40, on Shelby Drive in the Heritage Farms subdivision. Police say Bunton had a gun and threatened to harm officers and himself if he wasn't left alone. Officers were able to successfully talk him out of harming anyone and he was taken into custody without further incident.
The passenger on the motorcycle was taken by Med-Flight to Baptist Hospital in Little Rock where they were in critical condition at last report. Their name has not yet been released.
Bunton was charged with Aggravated Assault, Leaving the Scene of an Injury Accident, Felony Fleeing, DWI, and Refusal to Submit to Arrest. He is being held in the Saline Count Detention Facility on $250,000 bond.
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to call the Benton Police Department at (501) 778-1171 or (501) 315-TIPS. Anonymous crime tips can also be texted to CRIMES (274637) with the keyword BNPD in the body of the text.
The string of incidents started around 12:30 this morning when officers responded to the North Service Loop of Alcoa Road and I-30 on a report of an accident with injury involving a motorcycle and two riders.
While on the way to the accident scene, officers were told the driver of the motorcycle had driven away and left the injured passenger behind.
Officers were able to catch up to the driver, identified later as John Bunton, 40, on Shelby Drive in the Heritage Farms subdivision. Police say Bunton had a gun and threatened to harm officers and himself if he wasn't left alone. Officers were able to successfully talk him out of harming anyone and he was taken into custody without further incident.
The passenger on the motorcycle was taken by Med-Flight to Baptist Hospital in Little Rock where they were in critical condition at last report. Their name has not yet been released.
Bunton was charged with Aggravated Assault, Leaving the Scene of an Injury Accident, Felony Fleeing, DWI, and Refusal to Submit to Arrest. He is being held in the Saline Count Detention Facility on $250,000 bond.
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to call the Benton Police Department at (501) 778-1171 or (501) 315-TIPS. Anonymous crime tips can also be texted to CRIMES (274637) with the keyword BNPD in the body of the text.
