Baxter County Sheriff’s Deputies experienced a rather busy Independence Day holiday weekend this year.  There were more calls for service and more arrests made than last year.

     There were 80 complaint calls or calls for service made to the Sheriff’s Office from Friday, July 1st through Monday, July 4th.  There were 38 bookings made at the Baxter County Detention Center by all law enforcement agencies during this time covering 103 separate charges.  Some of these charges were for:

5 Driving While Intoxicated
4 Boating While Intoxicated
2 Public Intoxication
18 Drug Possession
12 Drug Paraphernalia
Possession 15 Warrants of Arrest served

Several of those booked into the Detention Center had multiple charges.

     Sheriff’s Deputies issued:

35 Citations for Traffic Violations or Criminal Misdemeanors, which included:
     9 Speeding
   16 Operating ATV on Public Roadways

27 Warnings for Traffic Violations

     There were no serious incidents reported to the Sheriff’s Office over the weekend.

     Sheriff’s Deputies assisted with coordinating and monitoring the fireworks displays at Norfork Lake on July 3rd and at Bull Shoals Lake on July 4th.  The Sheriff’s Office provided water patrol deputies for several hours throughout the holiday weekend.

     All area campgrounds and resorts appeared to be occupied at or near capacity.  The Sheriff’s Office worked jointly with U. S. Army Corp of Engineers Park Rangers in patrolling public campgrounds and public use areas on Norfork Lake and Bull Shoals Lake.

/s/ John F. Montgomery,
Baxter County Sheriff