TEXARKANA, Ark. -- A Texarkana man who fired a shot during a convenience store robbery last year was sentenced Tuesday to 20 years in prison.
Jonathan Dewayne Carroll, 27, pleaded guilty to robbery, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm by a felon at a hearing Tuesday morning before Circuit Judge Wren Autrey. Managing Public Defender Jason Mitchell and Deputy Prosecuting Attorney David Cotten said the plea agreement included amending a charge of aggravated robbery to the lesser charge of robbery.
Carroll was sentenced to 20 years for robbery and six years for the assault and weapon charges with all terms to run concurrently. Carroll received credit for the 447 days he's already spent in custody.
Carroll pointed a gun at a clerk working at the Speed-X at 2404 N. State Line Ave. at about 6:30 p.m. Jan. 12, according to a probable cause affidavit. Carroll pulled a drink from the store's cooler before approaching the counter.
Carroll was wearing a black hoodie, a black mask, blue jeans and lime green gloves.
After the clerk scanned the beverage and told him how much he owed, Carroll pulled a black silver-tipped handgun from his waistband and pointed it at her.
"He then pointed at the register and told her, 'Give it,'" the affidavit states.
The clerk told police that she "just looked at" the man holding the gun before he fired a single shot which missed her but struck the cigarette bin. The clerk ran to the back office and her manager called police.
Carroll fled without getting any cash.
As Texarkana, Arkansas, Police Department officers responded to the emergency call, one noticed a man in a red tee shirt and shorts walking south on Laurel Street behind the store. Finding it odd that someone would be dressed that way on a winter evening, the officer decided to question him.
"I pulled up behind the subject and turned on my takedown lights. The subject kept walking at which point I tapped my air horn to alert the subject I was behind him," the affidavit states.
Carroll ignored the lights and noise from the cruiser and continued to walk away. The officer threatened to deploy a chemical agent and another officer arrived to assist in the arrest.
A search of Carroll allegedly yielded a loaded 9 mm firearm and a black face mask.
A black hoodie with lettering matching that seen in surveillance footage was discovered in an alley near the store. A spent bullet was recovered from a filing cabinet located directly behind the store's cigarette rack and a shell casing was found on the floor.
Carroll will be held in the Miller County jail until he is transported to the Arkansas Department of Corrections.