An Izard County man is facing multiple felony charges including kidnapping, terroristic threatening, domsetic battery and more.
According to the affidavit for warrant of arrest for 45-year-old Russell Westmoreland, filed June 16, on June 13, Investigator Sean Tomlinson was informed by Arkansas Community Corrections Officer Cody Bruyette that Westmoreland had been accused of battering a victim throughout the night and was refusing the victim access to medical care for her injuries.
Tomlinson was also informed that Deputy Brock Simons had driven to the residence but not received a response after knocking several times.
Due to the nature of the complaint, Tomlinson contacted the original complainant to discuss the allegations.
The initial complainant stated he had received several text messages from the victim stating Westmoreland had beaten her all night long and she needed medical care.
One message exchanged between the victim and complainant indicated the victim needed to wash the blood from her hair and would attempt to get medical care after she had finished.
Not long after, the victim stopped replying to the complainant’s messages, promoting the complainant to travel to Westmoreland’s residence.
When he arrived, Westmoreland sent a text telling the man to leave the residence and he would not be allowed to see the complainant and the victim would not be allowed to leave.
While Tomlinson was speaking with the complainant, Officers Bruyette, Zach Perry and Izard County Deputy Brock Simons were asked to secure the residence.
When Tomlinson arrived on scene, he was informed the officers present had not heard anything aside from a loud radio, but had found what appeared to be a bullet hole exit on the east side of the building.
Law enforcement attempted to make contact and after knocking and announcing, Westmoreland came to the door.
Officers could hear Westmoreland moving throughout the residence and heard what appeared to be a door closing on the opposite end of the residence.
Westmoreland was ordered to open the door and told if he did not comply, authorites would force entry.
After opening the door Westmoreland was immediately detained.
After entering the residence, authorities witnessed broken glass on the floor, a kitchen knife and cordless drill on the floor with the broken glass.
Authorites were able to make contact with the victim who was intially reluctant to disclose the events that had occurred.
The victim said she did communicate to the complantaint that she needed to be transported to the hospital due to injureis caused by Westmoreland during a physical altercation.
The victim said the two began to argue and Westmoreland became physically abusive.
Westmoreland had physically placed the victim on the floor on her back at which point she hit her head on an object causing her to bleed from the back of her head.
The force also caused severe pain in her back.
Bruising could be seen on the victims back and torso and stated her jaw was sore from Westmoreland pressing her face onto the concrete floor while on top of her.
While conducting a compliance check of the home, officers found a small plastic container with a metal object fastened to the bottom containing a white crystalline substance that resembled that of methamphetamine. The substance later field tested positive for methamphetamine.
The victim also provided authorities with information leading them to find drug paraphernalia and marijuana.
An ambulance arrived a short time later to evaluate the victim who was later transported to an area hospital due to puncture wounds on the back of her head and severe bruising on the back of her torso.
While in transit to the jail, authorities received a call from the ambulance service stating the victim needed to speak with officers.
The victim inquired as to whether authorities had found firearms during their search as Westmoreland had threatened to kill both herself and the complainant earlier in the morning with the firearm.
Tomlinson contacted the officers on scene who then located a revolver which was loaded with six rounds of ammunition.
Following her release from the hospital, authorities spoke to the victim who provided medical records and stated that in October of last year, Westmoreland exhibited some of the same abusive behavior but that she had not reported the incident and had elected to leave Westmoreland, but returned in April noting the abuse had been escalating over time.
As a result Westmoreland has been charged with kidnapping, a class Y felony; terroristic threatening in the first degree, a class D felony; possession of a schedule II controlled substance, a class C felony; possession of firearm by certain persons, a class D felony; possession of drug paraphernalia, a class D felony and domestic battering in the third degree, a class A misdemeanor.
No bail was ordered in this case.
Lauren is a an award-winning journalist who decided after 10 years of newspaper experience to venture out. Hallmark Times was born.
