By Ray King
Twenty-five thousand dollar cash only bonds were set Monday for two Jefferson County men accused of involvement in a breaking or entering incident in Lonoke County who fled from Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputies who tried to arrest them.
Jefferson County District Judge Kim Bridgforth set the bond after ruling prosecutors have probable cause to charge Jeremy Welshons, 31, and James Goad II, with aggravated assault, fleeing, felon in possession of a firearm and theft by receiving based on an affidavit from Sheriff’s Lt. Kaylon McDaniel.
Reading from that affidavit, Deputy Prosecutor Beth Carson said deputies were notified at 5:45 a.m. Saturday that a dark colored truck pulling a trailer was southbound on U.S. 79 and the trailer contained an estimated $1,500 in items stolen in a breaking or entering incident in Lonoke County. The owner of the stolen items was reportedly following the truck.
Carson described what happened next.
Carson said Welcshons and Goad tried to flee on foot and were taken into custody. A 22-caliber handgun was found in the driver’s side floorboard of the truck during an inventory search. Welshons and Goad were not interviewed after they asked for an attorney.
McDaniel reported that the driver of the vehicle that was hit was taken to Jefferson Regional Hospital where their condition and status was unknown at the time of the affidavit.
Court records showed that Welshons has pending charges of possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and second-offense third-degree domestic battery, a felony, all from arrests in 2020.
Goad has previous arrests for first-degree battery, felon in possession of a firearm, and aggravated assault on a family or household member and has been convicted of two or more violent felonies in the past 10 years.
The Public Defender’s Office was appointed to represent the two men.
