Suspect Arrested After Allegedly Punching Officer During Caraway Road Welfare Check

JONESBORO, Ark. — A suspect was arrested after police say she punched an officer during a welfare check at a business along Caraway Road.

Kristin Leigh Larry, 42, was arrested on suspicion of second-degree battery against a law enforcement officer, a Class D felony, and resisting arrest, a misdemeanor. Bail was set at $50,000 cash or surety.

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According to the Jonesboro Police Department, an officer responded Feb. 22, 2026, to a business on Caraway Road regarding a welfare concern involving a woman walking in traffic.

Police said the officer located the woman, later identified as Larry, in the parking lot of the business. The officer reported seeing a carrying bag, blood smeared on her face from an initial contact with the ground, and difficulty communicating with her.

Officers learned Larry is deaf and attempted to communicate with her after she fell. Police said Larry then gestured toward her head as if indicating she had been shot before attempting to walk away.

According to the report, the officer attempted to get Larry to sit down so she could be medically evaluated, but she ran into the traffic lanes of Caraway Road and was nearly struck by a vehicle.

The officer attempted to detain Larry, but police said she began removing her shirt in the roadway. During the struggle, Larry allegedly punched the officer in the right jaw with her right hand, causing redness and discoloration.

Larry was then secured in handcuffs and transported to a hospital for medical screening before being taken to the Craighead County Detention Center.

All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.