A call to police about a possible theft at a local convenience store early Friday morning led to the arrest of an El Dorado man on unrelated drug charges.
James Charles Heard, 49, of 608 S. College, faces felony charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia and a misdemeanor count of obstruction of governmental operations.
He was also arrested on a warrant for failure to appear, a misdemeanor charge.
While on routine patrol in the area of East Hillsboro and South Madison at 1:45 a.m. Friday, police reportedly spotted a man, later identified as Heard, in the area of East Hillsboro and South Madison and made contact with him.
Officers noted they had received a report about a possible theft from E-Z Mart, 400 W. Hillsboro, just prior to seeing Heard several blocks east of the store.
They also said Heard matched the description of a potential suspect in the alleged theft.
Police said they took Heard into custody after learning of the active warrant for his arrest and during a search, they found approximately one gram of methamphetamine inside his right jacket pocket.
They also recovered two glass pipes, one inside a glove that was in Heard’s left jacket pocket and the other inside Heard’s backpack.
Heard also provided a false birthdate, which led to the obstruction charge, police said.
Heard was being held late Friday afternoon in the Union County jail in lieu of a recommended bond of $5,000. He is scheduled for a first appearance hearing next week in 35th Judicial District Court.
Domestic battery
A woman reported Friday that her estranged husband attacked her and drove her to the hospital following the attack.
She said the suspect woke up Friday morning “angry and aggravated” and she attempted to calm him down and walk away from him.
The woman said he then shoved her onto the bed and put his hands around her neck, adding that “she could only breathe a little.”
When the suspect got off her and “got in her face again,” the woman said she walked away.
The suspect then shoved her again, causing her to trip over an object and fall on her left arm. The suspect then drove her to the hospital, the woman said.
Police said the woman’s hand was wrapped in a sling and she had bruises on her neck and chest.
The woman told officers that she obtained an order of protection against her husband last November but allowed him to return home earlier this month.
No arrests have been made in the incident.