WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. — A man was arrested Wednesday night, April 6 following a two hour stand-off along Interstate 40 in West Memphis with Arkansas State Troopers and local law enforcement officers.
Charles Ray Skinner, Jr., 47, of Lonsdale is charged with aggravated assault, carrying a weapon, resisting arrest, parking on a highway and obstructing governmental operations.
The incident was initially reported to Arkansas State Police shortly before 6:40 p.m., when motorists traveling through West Memphis on I-40 encountered a vehicle parked, causing traffic to be blocked.
The driver was said to be pointing a pistol at drivers who had exited their vehicles following a minor traffic crash.
After state troopers and local law enforcement officers arrived at the scene, east and westbound traffic were blocked as a safety precaution.
After repeated orders from law enforcement officers for Skinner to exit the vehicle were ignored, state police requested a Crittenden County armored vehicle and special response team to be called to the scene.
The armored truck approached Skinner’s vehicle and officers directed irritant gas into the car, causing Skinner to exit and surrender.
He was placed into custody and transported to the Crittenden County Jail.
The highway was reopened to traffic at approximately 8:30 p.m.
