Jeremy Heath Dillard

Christopher Scott Smith

     Two people were arrested Sunday afternoon, August 13th, after deputies responded to a disturbance on Second Street in Norfork.  The disturbance was reported to the 911 call center at approximately 12:02 PM.  The caller indicated that a firearm was involved in the incident.  Deputies responded to the scene and conducted an investigation.

     JEREMY HEATH DILLARD, 40 years old of Norfork, told deputies that he and his wife had been arguing outside their residence on Second Street because he was questioning her as to where she had been.  This became physical, and DILLARD used force to inflict injury on her.  Another female, who had been with DILLARD’s wife, then left the scene and called some friends to come to the property to intervene in the altercation.  A short time later, according to DILLARD, a blue Jeep pulled up in front of the residence, and a man identified as 27 year old CHRISTOPHER SCOTT SMITH got out carrying a metal pipe. DILLARD alleged that SMITH came towards him, but he was able to deter SMITH, who then started to run away still carrying the pipe, which he subsequently dropped.

     At this point, SMITH is alleged to have yelled to a woman sitting inside another vehicle to “get the gun”, which was later identified to be a .223 rifle.  The woman started to remove the rifle from the vehicle but dropped the firearm. DILLARD then picked it up. DILLARD then took the rifle and used it to smash out the tail lamps and cause other damage to the other vehicles.  Deputies concluded that no rounds had been fired from the rifle.  DILLARD is a convicted felon and thus prohibited from possessing or handling a firearm.

     Other witnesses gave statements to deputies that seemed to verify much of what had been alleged.  Deputies recovered both the pipe and the rifle.  They were seized and taken into evidence.  Deputies arrested both DILLARD and SMITH and transported them to the Detention Center.

     JEREMY HEATH DILLARD is being charged with:

Possession of Firearms by Certain Persons (convicted felon) – Felony
Domestic Battery in the Third Degree – Misdemeanor
Criminal Mischief in the First Degree (2 counts) – Misdemeanors

     DILLARD was released from custody after posting $5,000 bond.  He will appear in the Circuit Court to answer on September 14th.

     CHRISTOPHER SCOTT SMITH is being charged with:

Aggravated Assault – Felony

     SMITH remains in custody in lieu of $5,000 bond.  He will also appear in the Circuit Court to answer on September 14th.

/s/ John F. Montgomery,
Baxter County Sheriff