By Ray King
A $25,000 cash only bond was set Tuesday for a Jefferson County man currently on parole who was found holding an assault rifle while sitting of the side of a roadway.
Pine Bluff District Judge John Kearney the bond after ruling prosecutors have probable cause to charge Larry Gossage, 49, with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Reading from a probable cause affidavit from Sheriff’s Investigator Charles White, Deputy Prosecutor Karres Manning said deputies were sent to the 500 block of U.S. 425 Sunday in reference to a reported home invasion. The suspect was described as a male carrying an assault rifle and walking in the area of the highway.
White reported that a deputy saw a man later identified as Gossage was sitting Indian-style on the shoulder of the highway with a rifle sitting on his legs and a 5 to 6-inch bladed knife. Gossage was reportedly speaking gibberish and chanting. A man who arrived at the scene said Gossage was his nephew and had drug and mental issues.
Because of his state, there was no attempt to get a statement from Gossage.
Deputies located the owner of the rifle who said he heard yelling at the back door and saw Gossage holding the rifle and pointing it at him.
Manning said Gossage has had multiple prior felony convictions, most for burglary and theft of property since the 2990’s, the most recent in 2019.
He is listed as a parole absconder and will be held pending a hearing to determine if he should be sent back to prison to complete his sentence.
