CROSS COUNTY, Ark. (KTHV) - Cross County deputies and police are searching for Roderick Talley after he fled arrest in a green 2019 Ford Fiesta. While driving away, officials said a deputy "fell on the hood of the car and fell off as Talley turned."
According to the Cross County Sheriff's Office, Talley was arrested this morning after failing to appear to a trial. When Talley later went to the courthouse, a warrant had already been issued by the judge. While being escorted to the jail, he ran from the deputy and got into a green 2019 Ford Fiesta. The deputy ordered him to stop, during which Talley drove forward.
Then, officials said a deputy "fell on the hood of the car and fell off as Talley turned." The deputy sustained minor injuries.
Laux Law Group and Ben Crump LLC released a statement that said, "No arrestee should ever panic and flee as Mr. Talley did today, whether the charges they face are legitimate or not."
Today, the Cross County Sheriff’s Office attempted to arrest Roderick Talley for failure to appear because he was approximately 20 minutes late for a court hearing in Wynne, Ark. due to inclement weather affecting much of the State. Make no mistake about it, we believe this arbitrary, heavy-handed action by the powers that be constitutes retaliation against Mr. Talley for the civil rights lawsuit he recently filed against the LRPD. Nonetheless, clearly, no arrestee should ever panic and flee as Mr. Talley did today, whether the charges they face are legitimate or not. In any event, while we dispute the factual rendition offered by CCSO, we have spoken with our client will arrange for him to turn himself in tomorrow, November 15, so that all the pertinent facts can be determined and so that any and all legal processes can move forward. On the subject of the accuracy of CCSO’s rendition of facts, we also intend to demand the preservation of any and all video footage of the event that may exist and which depicts the courthouse, its adjacent parking lot or anywhere in the vicinity of the alleged event.
Lastly, we feel compelled to mention that, whatever truly occurred today in Wynne, it has absolutely no bearing on the legitimacy of Mr. Talley’s civil rights lawsuit alleging an unconstitutional pattern of dangerous and illegal “no-knock” LRPD raids, a lawsuit that continues to add multiple Arkansas plaintiffs each day.
Laux Law Group and Ben Crump PLLC will release further statements regarding this matter as we learn more facts.
Laux Law Group and Ben Crump LLC said they have spoken with their client, and will arrange for him to turn himself in Thursday, Nov. 15.
This story has been updated.
RELATED HEADLINES: