Rogers Men Plead Not Guilty

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

BENTONVILLE — Two Rogers men each face up to 35 years in prison if convicted of charges of shooting into a moving vehicle in February.

Douglas Blake Huston, 18, and Robert Aaron Thomas, 18, are charged with unlawful discharge of a firearm from a vehicle, a Class B felony punishable with a prison sentence ranging from five to 20 years. Prosecutors also filed a firearm enhancement for the use of the gun that could add up to 15 more years in prison for both men.

Thomas also is charged with misdemeanors for driving while intoxicated and drug paraphernalia.

The pair pleaded not guilty to all charges during arraignments before Circuit Judge Brad Karren on Monday. Huston and Thomas are being held in the Benton County Jail on $500,000 bonds in connection with the Feb. 22 incident. Thomas also had a $75,000 bond set in connection with the misdemeanor charges.

Rogers police were called the night of Feb. 22 about a shooting at the intersection of South 15th and West Cypress streets, according to court documents. The caller said someone shot or hit the car she was in, and then reported a bullet hole in the car’s seat, according to a police dispatch report.

Police learned the callers were two juveniles — a boy and a girl. Police found a bullet hole near the top right side of the driver’s seat and then found a .45-caliber bullet, the affidavit states.

The boy told police he and the girl were driving east in the 2000 block of West Walnut Street when their car came up beside a dark-colored Nissan Pathfinder in the outside lane. The boy said he heard a “pop” and the back glass of his car broke. The boy said he turned around in the middle of the street to get behind the Pathfinder and get its license number, according to the affidavit.

Police were able to trace the Pathfinder to Thomas, according to documents. Police got a search warrant for Huston’s home and found a black Cimarron 1911 .45-caliber pistol with a brown handle in a drawer in the dining room area.

Both men are scheduled to appear for omnibus hearings June 11.

Huston is scheduled to appear in court at 8:30 a.m. May 15 for a bond hearing.