FROM PRESS RELEASE AND INTERVIEW
Sharp County Sheriff’s Department’s Captain of Operations, Josh Williams, issued a press release earlier this afternoon following a assault, kidnapping, pursuit into sharp County from Fulton County that occured around 10 a.m. Aug. 19.
THE FOLLOWING IS A VIDEO OF HARDY OFFICER DAN GALLAGHER’S TRAFFIC STOP AND SHARP COUNTY SGT. BRYCE TRIVITT RETRIEVING THE CHILD SAFELY.
A Woodland, Ark. man found himself behind bars after assaulting a man and kidnapping an infant from Riverbend Restaurant in Mammoth Spring and leading police of a chase and stand off this.
A call was taken around 10 a.m. by Sharp County Central Dispatch. The caller advised that a male subject, identified as Charlie Martin, 38, had entered a restaurant, assaulted a male subject and kidnapped an infant child. Martin and an unknown adult male passenger departed the restaurant at a high rate of speed in a white Ford pickup.
Responding units including the Sharp County Sheriff’s Office and the Hardy Police Department later located the truck. A traffic stop was conducted. Sharp County Sgt. Bryce Trivitt observed the infant being held by the passenger. As Trivitt approached the truck, Martin began to drive off. Trivitt jumped into the window of the truck putting his own safety at risk and was able to successfully pull the child from the vehicle without injury.
A pursuit for the truck ensued with Hardy Police and the Sharp County Sheriff’s Department deputies. Several oncoming vehicles were nearly struck by the suspect’s vehicle as he fled. As Martin entered Ozark Acres, the decision was made to perform a Pursuit Immobilization Tactic (PIT) on the vehicle to stop it. Once the vehicle was stopped, the passenger exited and ran into the nearby woods. Martin then displayed a handgun by placing it to the side of his head and an approximately 30 minute standoff began on Vagabond Road.
Sharp County Sheriff Shane Russell began negotiations with Martin. After Sheriff Russell was able to gain the suspect’s trust, Martin surrendered without incident. He was transported to a local hospital to be treated for minor injuries and will be held at the Sharp County Detention Center.
The Sharp County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Hardy Police Department, Highland Police Department, Cherokee Village Police Department and the Arkansas State Police for their assistance and support. The Sheriff’s Office also recognizes the actions of Sgt. Trivitt for placing his own safety at risk and Sheriff Russell for speaking to the suspect which led to his surrender. These actions allowed this incident to come to an end peacefully without injuries to officers or the public.
Lastly the Sheriff’s Office confirmed the passenger within the vehicle was not directly involved with the incident and no threat exists to the public. Charges for Martin are pending.
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