A footpath a burglary suspect allegedly followed to steal $3,000 of property from a home also led to his arrest, officials said.
Rocky Joe Huddleston, 41, of Dierks, Ark., has been charged with commercial burglary, theft of property and breaking or entering for the alleged theft of about $3,000 worth of property stolen from the home of Paul Eudy, who was in the Howard County jail for violation of a parole. Since he was in jail, the residence became a target for the burglaries, said Dierks Investigator John McKee.
Huddleston allegedly admitted to officers he made about 20 round trips down the 75-yard footpath to the house to steal a variety of property, McKee said.
"It was a well-beaten path to a shop building and a trailer house," he said.
Chief Deputy John Eric Glidewell contacted McKee about a vehicle in the ditch on Jackson Road north of Dierks.
McKee located the vehicle and Rocky Joe Huddleston was identified as the driver.
The vehicle was inventoried, and the officer found items in the car allegedly stolen from the Eudy burglary.
Paul Eudy identified a Rubbermaid tool box and small hand tools reportedly owned by him.
Huddleston was interviewed and allegedly confessed he had taken property from the residence and the shop next door.
Huddleston allegedly took a welder, a cutting torch, antique watches and several hand tools.
He also allegedly admitted he took Dale Earnhardt memorabilia from the home and burned it in a barrel at the Mark Brooks residence.
"It broke my heart. I was a fan of Dale Earnhardt. He burned a couple of die cast model race cars," McKee said.
"The footpath lead to the house and shop. It was old-fashioned police work of putting the pieces together. It was a big puzzle and came together," McKee said.
Huddleston allegedly said he sold the property to buyers in Eagletown, Okla., Texarkana, Lockesburg and Glenwood.
He allegedly said he needed the money to support his methamphetamine addiction.
A pretrial hearing has been set for Huddleston on Feb. 28 in the Howard County Circuit Court in Nashville, Ark., and the trial date will be March 13, according to court records.