By Ray King
A $100,000 bond was set Tuesday for a Pine Bluff man accused of shooting three people during an incident on the east side of the city Sunday.
Pine Bluff District Judge John Kearney set the bond after ruling prosecutors have probable cause to charge Craig Rudd, 21, with first-degree battery and committing a terroristic act.
Reading from a probable cause affidavit from Detective Mike Merritt, Deputy Prosecutor Beth Carson said police were sent to the area of Belmont and Belmoor Drive in reference to a reported shooting and a witness said several black males were shooting at a white jeep at 1406 Belmont. The white jeep was located at the Sonic Drive-In on Olive and the driver was taken to Jefferson Regional Hospital by ambulance for treatment.
Carson said while officers were at the hospital, a second white jeep with four occupants arrived and two of them had been shot.
The driver of that vehicle told police he saw a couple of guys shooting and gave police a description of them. Officers went back to the area and located Rudd who matched the description when he was questioned, he said he saw a white jeep pull up, a black object come out the driver’s side window, and heard a loud pop and he started shooting.
Rudd was asked why he did not call the police and he said he could not find his cell phone.
He was ordered to have no contact with five people who had been in the two jeeps and told to come back to court on April 28.
