Harlen Parker, 29, was apprehended by local law enforcement at 9:10 a.m. on May 27 in the Magnolia Walmart parking lot, according to a press release by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.
“After several days on the run, Harlen Parker has been apprehended by Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of Magnolia Police Department and Arkansas State Police,” the Sheriff’s office wrote. “Harlen is being held at Columbia County Detention Facility for charges related to an incident that occurred this morning in Columbia County, as well as the previous incidents in Union County and El Dorado, Arkansas.”
Capt. Jeff Stinson, chief investigator for the Union County Sheriff’s Office, said the UCSO learned of Parker on Monday, when a warrant was issued by the CCSO for parole revocation. UCSO deputies made contact with Parker for the first time the same day.
“Our initial contact with him, he fled into the woods. He had a couple guns on him,” Stinson said.
On Wednesday, the UCSO received information that Parker was staying at a local hotel; when deputies went to investigate, he fled again, Stinson said.
“Two days following, we had information he was at a local hotel. We followed up on that information and he jumped out of a second-story window and fled into the woods, got away from us again,” Stinson said. “That brings us to today.”
In Columbia County, Parker has been charged with domestic battery, criminal mischief, theft of property and interference with emergency communications. Stinson said the UCSO would also be charging Parker with at least two counts of fleeing, as well as possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of methamphetamine and theft of property.
Stinson said on Thursday, the UCSO received a report that a vehicle had been stolen, allegedly by Parker, from a machine shop on Highway 15. He said the UCSO shared information about the vehicle with the CCSO and Parker was subsequently apprehended.
Parker is due for his first appearance hearing today, Stinson said.
“Since we’re kind of in the same judicial district, we’re sending over an investigator to Columbia County tomorrow and they’ll be able to conduct a first appearance on our charges and their charges at the same time,” Stinson said Thursday.