A Rogers man was being held in the Benton County Jail on $100,000 bond Monday after his arrest following an accident where a small explosive device being found in his vehicle.
Eric Dean McKim, 32, was arrested in connection with a parole violation, misdemeanor contempt, two counts of misdemeanor carrying a weapon, criminal possession of explosives, driving while license cancelled, suspended or revoked, failure to yield, leaving the scene of personal injury accident, two counts of possession of a controlled substance, possession of firearm by certain persons and two counts of terroristic threatening in the first degree.
Rogers police were called at 8:41 a.m. Saturday to a two-vehicle accident in the area of North Second Street and West Hudson Road. The accident involved a blue minivan and a small passenger car.
Witnesses said McKim, who was driving the minivan, fled the scene and ran into the woods just north of the accident, Keith Foster, a spokesman for the Rogers Police Department, said. McKim, who had a bleeding hand, returned after witnesses described hearing a gunshot.
According to court documents, police were informed that an explosive device could be in the vehicle.
The Bentonville Police Department’s bomb squad confirmed the presence of a small explosive device and defused it, Foster said.
The device was a black plastic bottle of muzzle loading propellant. A bomb squad member located a fuse on the device, according to court documents.
McKim told police that he ran into the woods to dispose of shells because he was not supposed to possess them. He also told police he gave a gun to a friend, but would not name the friend, according to the probable cause affidavit.
McKim later told police that he had ran into woods to get rid of a gun because he is not suppose to have a gun, the affidavit states. McKim claimed he and a friend had been out target practicing, according to court documents.
Police attempted to find the gun but were unsuccessful, according to court documents.
McKim was taken by ambulance to Northwest Medical Center-Bentonville where he treated for a gunshot wound to his hand. McKim said he accidentally shot himself, according to court documents.
McKim had a warrant out for his arrest as a parole absconder.
Deputy Robert Crow with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office informed Rogers police on Sept. 3 that a confidential source said McKim carries a handgun and he had made statements to the effect of “if the cops come around, someone is gonna get a bullet,” according to court documents.