$350,000 bond for man charged with threatening courthouse

A Bella Vista man’s bond was set at $350,000 Friday after his arrest Thursday in connection with making references to shootings at courthouses and police departments.

Ronald Vince Fennell, 46, was arrested Thursday by Bella Vista police for three counts of carrying a weapon, possession of a loaded centerfire weapon in certain areas, and two counts of terroristic threatening in the first degree.

The arrest stems from Fennell’s communications with two local state legislators — Sen. Bart Hester and Rep. Jim Dotson — about his previous arrests. Fennell left voice mails on the legislator’s phones, according to court documents.

Hester spoke with Fennell on Jan. 18 for 38 minutes and Hester was able to write down some of Fennell’s statements. According to Hester, Fennell said, "if the information gets out this is what makes people go into courthouses, police departments with assault weapons.”

Fennell was upset with a case connected to his 2010 arrest, according to court documents.

According to court documents, Fennell was arrested in Decemeber 2010 in connection with harassing school volunteers during a fundraising event at Cooper Elementary School in Bella Vista. He was arrested in August 2011 in connection with a harassment charge involving workers at a public pool in Bentonville.

Fennell was convicted in March 2012 of both misdemeanor harassment charges but appealed his convictions to Benton County Circuit Court.

The appeal case was suspended pending a mental evaluation for Fennell.

Benton County Prosecutor Van Stone said Fennell walked out of one evaluation at Ozark Guidance and canceled another evaluation.

Fennell appeared Friday morning before Circuit Judge Robin Green. She found him in contempt of court in connection with the missed evaluations.

She also set bond at $350,000 in connection with Fennell’s latest arrest.

Deputy Prosecutor Stephanie McLemore said Fennell will not be able to post bond until the court receives the report concerning his evaluation at Ozark Guidance.

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