Sharp County, Arkansas – One man is behind bars after a hectic Saturday morning event involving a kidnapped infant, a high-speed chase, and a stand-off with police.
At 9:56 a.m. on August 19, the Sharp County Sheriff’s Office and Hardy Police responded to a call of a man, identified as Charlie Martin, entering a restaurant, assaulting another man, and kidnapping an infant. Martin and an unknown male passenger fled the scene at high speeds in a white Ford pickup.
Law enforcement was able to conduct a traffic stop on the truck when Sgt. Bryce Trivitt of the Sharp County Sheriff’s Office approached the truck and it began to drive off. Sgt. Trivitt jumped into the vehicle window and managed to pull the child from the truck.
A high-speed chase ensued, with the Ford narrowly missing multiple other vehicles. Following a pursuit immobilization tactic, commonly known as a PIT maneuver, Martin’s vehicle was stopped near Ozark Acres. The passenger fled the vehicle into the woods nearby. Martin pulled a handgun and held it against his head, beginning a 30-minute standoff.
Following negotiations between the suspect and Sharp County Sheriff Shane Russell, Charlie Martin was taken into custody without further incident. Martin was treated for minor injuries at a nearby hospital and is being held at the Sharp County Detention Center.
The passenger of the pickup was not directly involved in the incident and poses no threat to the public, according to the Sharp County Sheriff.
In a public statement, the Sheriff’s Office offered thanks to the police departments of Hardy, Highland, Cherokee Village, and the Arkansas State Police. The Sheriff’s office went on to recognize the actions of Sgt. Trivitt for placing his own safety at risk and for Sheriff Russell for speaking to the suspect which led him to surrender.
