Additional charges have been filed against a man who was arrested for public intoxication last week after he drove away in a cab and struck the driver, who had been called to drive the man home because he was intoxicated.
Bond was set at $20,000 cash or corporate surety Friday for Brian M. Givens, 47, who faces several felony charges in connection to the Sept. 13 incident in which he was initially charged for public intoxication, a misdemeanor.
On Thursday, Givens was arrested on a warrant for second-degree battery, leaving the scene of an accident with injury, theft of property (motor vehicle) and robbery.
Givens, former vice president of entertainment/talent relations with the Murphy Arts District, waived his first appearance hearing Friday in 35th Judicial District Court.
Local attorney Matt Thomas represented Givens in court.
At 11 p.m. Sept. 13, officers responded to a report of unauthorized use of a vehicle at a residence in the 2300 block of Pathway.
The owner of El Dorado Taxi told officers that an employee of the Griffin Restaurant, which is part of the MAD complex at 101 E. Locust, had called for service, and when he arrived, he was instructed to drive Givens to a residence in the 2300 block of Pathway and give Givens his keys once Givens was inside the residence.
The complainant said that when they arrived at the Pathway residence, he helped Givens to the front door.
While he was attempting to open the door, Givens shoved him inside the residence, walked back to the taxi in the driveway and sat in the driver’s seat, the complainant said.
He told police that Givens then drove away, striking the complainant in the upper right leg and running over the tip of his right foot.
A short time later, police found the vehicle at the intersection of West Main and Oak Valley with Givens asleep inside.
Officers noted that the engine was not running at the time.
Police said that after several attempts, they were able to rouse Givens, who smelled strongly of intoxicants and had difficulty standing and walking once he exited the vehicle.
Givens refused to take a portable breathalyzer test, and he was held in the UCJ for eight hours for detoxification, according to a police report.
The owner of the taxi service declined medical treatment and to press charges against Givens.
Police said Givens was subsequently charged with public intoxication. His vehicle, which had been parked in the MAD district, was towed from the scene, police said.
Capt. Kevin Holt, public information officer for the El Dorado Police Department, previously said the investigation into the incident was ongoing and that additional charges could be filed.
“Our investigators can go back and file a warrant on the case. Our patrol officers took the initial information and made judgment calls,” Holt said.
“If we find that additional charges are warranted, then that’s what we’ll do,” he continued. “We want to be transparent, no matter who you are, and we want to be fair and do what is right and what we are constitutionally obligated to do.”
Investigators later sought a warrant for Givens’s arrest on the felony charges and issued it Thursday, Police Chief Billy White said.
During a court hearing on Sept. 14, Givens pleaded not guilty to the charge of public intoxication. He is scheduled to go to trial on the charge at 9 a.m. on Oct. 31 in 35th JDC.
MAD
Bob Tarren, chief marketing officer for MAD, said Givens no longer works for the private, nonprofit organization, effective Sept. 14.
Givens formerly served as executive director of Main Street El Dorado. In November 2016, he left the post after 10 years to take a job with MAD, then El Dorado Festival and Events, Inc.
Givens was tasked with booking the headliners for the grand opening celebration of MAD in the fall of 2017 and other shows.
In July, helped to announce the headliners for MusicFest XXXI, which is set for Oct. 18 - 20 and is planned in partnership with Main Street.
Headliners for upcoming festival include Sheila E., Morris Day and the Time, Toby Keith George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, 2 Chainz, Sammy Hagar, Gucci Mane and Bret Michaels.
Tarren said MAD is discussing how it plans to book entertainment for the district.
“We’re looking at lots of different options. We’ve talked about collaborating with other people in the (entertainment industry). We had been talking about that before, and Mark Givens was a part of those discussions,” Tarren said.
Tia Lyons may be contacted at 870-862-6611 or tlyons@ eldoradonews.com.