An 18-year-old Texarkana man was arrested last month for allegedly possessing a pistol at an Arkansas High School football game.
Dionko Ray Horton Jr. was allegedly chasing another person while holding a black Ruger .22 caliber handgun in the stadium parking lot Sept. 28 following Arkansas High's match with Camden, according to a probable cause affidavit used to create the following account. A Texarkana, Ark., Police Department officer patrolling the parking lot around 10:15 p.m., as spectators were leaving the game, was alerted by several people who saw a man running with a firearm running after another man.
The TAPD officer was searching for the suspect when he was approached by a school security officer-who had a gun wrapped in a red shirt-pointing to a man with long dreadlocks as the person who had possessed the firearm. Several bystanders confirmed the suspect identified by the school security officer was the same man they had earlier seen running with a weapon in hand.
TAPD Officer Peyton Harris was able to walk up behind the suspect, later identified as Horton, and take control of him. Horton was allegedly yelling and cursing "toward several subjects in the parking lot as if he was trying to provoke a violent response and start a fight," the affidavit states.
Horton allegedly looked behind him as Harris, who was wearing his police uniform, grabbed his arms. Horton allegedly struggled to free his arms and attempted to walk away but the officer was able to get Horton into handcuffs.
While trying to walk with Horton from in between parked cars, Horton allegedly yelled, cursed and attempted to pull away. Harris and TAPD Lt. Chris Rankin had to physically place Horton into a patrol car after Horton allegedly refused to get in the cruiser on his own.
Harris concluded Horton was under the influence of some type of drug because of Horton's alleged slurred speech, bloodshot eyes and unsteady gait. The odor of synthetic marijuana was allegedly emanating from Horton's clothing and Horton allegedly had trouble walking without swaying.
The Ruger pistol Horton was allegedly carrying as he chased another man contained one round in the chamber and three bullets in the magazine. A witness told police he and his family were getting in their car to leave after the game when they noticed a man running with a gun he was pointing at another man he was pursuing. The witness reported that as he was hurriedly securing his young child in a car seat and getting the rest of his group into the family car, he heard the sound of metal hitting pavement.
The witness said he saw the gun on the ground in the parking lot and said the man who dropped it was still chasing the person he'd been pointing the pistol at previously. The witness said he used a red shirt from his car to pick up the gun, which he then gave to the school security officer. The witness said he picked up the weapon because he feared the suspect might return for it or that it could be picked up by someone else.
Horton was arrested for possession of a firearm on school property, a felony, and for four misdemeanors: carrying a weapon, public intoxication, disorderly conduct and refusing arrest. Horton's bail was set at $10,000 by Circuit Judge Brent Haltom at an initial appearance on the felony charge Oct. 2. Horton was released on bond later that day.
Horton is scheduled to return to court Oct. 16.