Aaron M. Tullos

     A Cotter man who is well known to the criminal justice system was arrested Friday evening, January 25th, after deputies responded to a complaint call on Powell Avenue in Cotter at 9:06 PM.  It was reported that the man, identified as 35 year old AARON MATHEW TULLOS of Cotter, was seated in a vehicle and was said to be brandishing a firearm and was also said to be under the influence of intoxicants.

     Deputy Brian Williams responded to the address.  He found AARON TULLOS in the back seat of a Ford Edge.  TULLOS appeared to be asleep or unconscious.  The deputy opened the back door of the vehicle.  TULLOS was observed to move and was told to get out of the car.  The deputy asked TULLOS if he had a firearm, and he denied having one.  The deputy then observed the butt of a handgun in TULLOS’S front waistband.  TULLOS attempted to move away from the deputy as the deputy disarmed him.  TULLOS also attempted to reach behind his back, where the deputy located a small knife.  When attempting to take TULLOS into custody, TULLOS pushed away from the vehicle and began to actively resist.  The deputy and TULLOS went to the ground.  TULLOS was finally taken into custody with assistance from a City of Gassville police officer, who arrived at the scene.

     The handgun in the possession of TULLOS was found to be a .40 caliber pistol.  The firearm was determined to be unloaded.  TULLOS is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms.  The firearm and a set of digital scales commonly associated with drug distribution were seized and taken into evidence.  The incident occurred within 1,000 feet of the North Arkansas Youth Center, thereby providing for a penalty enhancement.

     AARON TULLOS was transported to the Baxter County Detention Center.  Once TULLOS was transferred to the custody of the jailers, he was searched further.  During the change out process, TULLOS dropped a plastic baggy that contained a substance determined to be methamphetamine.  It weighed approximately 10.7 grams.  It was seized and taken into evidence.

     AARON MATHEW TULLOS was booked on charges of:

Possession of Methamphetamine with Purpose to Deliver – Felony
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Felony
Possession of Firearm by Certain Persons (convicted felon) – Felony
Simultaneous Possession of Drugs and Firearms – Felony
Furnishing Prohibited Articles – Felony
Resisting Arrest - Misdemeanor
Proximity to Certain Facilities – Penalty
Enhancement Habitual Offender – Penalty Enhancement

     TULLOS has a bond of $15,000 on these charges, and he is scheduled to appear before the Circuit Court to answer on February 14th.  Records indicate that TULLOS has been booked into the Baxter County Detention Center approximately 56 times since 2001 on a variety of charges.

/s/ John F. Montgomery,
Baxter County Sheriff