Man arrested after living room brawl with deputy

JONESBORO, Ark. – A Craighead County Sheriff’s Office deputy was involved in a melee before taking a suspect into custody Saturday night.

Sometime around 5 PM, Deputy Taylor Iglehart learned of a BOLO (be on the lookout) report from Jonesboro Police Department. JPD wanted Nathan Adams, 34, of Lake City, for an investigation into the alleged crime of Assault on Family or Household Member. The deputy was told Adams lived with his grandmother at the 8300-block of Highway 18. He tried making contact but no one would answer the door.

So, the resourceful deputy parked at a church west of the address and staked out the road for the suspect vehicle: an 80s or 90s black Chevy pickup. Deputy Iglehart also had a photo of the suspect.

At 6:17 PM, the waiting paid off. An older model black pickup passed the deputy, who pulled out and began to catch up. The vehicle pulled into the address visited earlier by the deputy. With his lights activated, the deputy got out of the vehicle but Adams began walking toward the home, the report says. Iglehart yelled for him to stop but the suspect walked faster. The report says Adams was, “banging on the door, yelling for his grandma to open the door.”

The deputy reports at this point, he’s told the suspect to stop several times. He’s also told him he is under arrest. So, Iglehart grabs him to stop him from fleeing, but the report says Adams began yelling, saying this was illegal and that the law enforcement officer couldn’t do this. Adams tensed up as the officer was trying to gain control. However, the 81-year-old grandmother opened the door around this point and stepped outside.

The deputy wrote that Adams jerked away and bolted toward the door, shoving his grandma into the hand rail hard enough to break it.

Then, as the deputy entered the doorway with Adams, the suspect allegedly turned around and threw a closed-fist punch that missed. The deputy said he took him to the ground causing both to go through the front door, falling over the recliner and a side table with a lamp on it. The deputy said the suspect continued to resist.

Another deputy arrived and finally, Adams was put in handcuffs.

Iglehart went back in to explain to the grandma what had happened and why. He reported Adams was shouting at her not to give any information to the officer. Adams was also reportedly shouting that Iglehart had no right to stop him and that what he was doing was illegal. No mention of injuries to the elderly woman was in the report.

NEA Report has requested the body camera footage of the incident and will follow up with this report when we receive it.

Adams is being charged with Obstructing Governmental Operations and Resisting Arrest in addition to the Jonesboro charges.

What Happened In Jonesboro

At 4:30 PM, JPD Officer Christopher Shull was dispatched to 3719 South Stadium to an apartment unit where a woman, 21, said her brother (Adams) and she had been in a verbal altercation that became physical.

The two were arguing when the woman said Adams pushed her with his forearm. She returned the attack by swinging at him to try to hit him. That’s when she alleges he placed his hands around her throat and began to choke her. She did not lose consciousness or have difficulty breathing, which would have elevated the criminal charge. The mother of the two pulled them apart. Adams left and then the young woman called police.

For the Jonesboro incident, he faces a misdemeanor charge for second degree assault on a family or household member.