TEXARKANA -- An 18-year-old Texarkana man faces charges that include possessing a pistol on school grounds at an Arkansas High School football game, according to court records.
Dionko Ray Horton Jr. was arrested for possession of a firearm on school property, a felony, and for four misdemeanors for carrying a weapon, public intoxication, disorderly conduct and refusing arrest. Horton's bail was set at $10,000 by Circuit Judge Brent Haltom at an initial appearance on the felony charge Oct. 2. Horton was released on bond later that day.
Horton is scheduled to return to court Tuesday.
He was chasing another person while holding a black Ruger .22 caliber handgun in the stadium parking lot Sept. 28 following Texarkana High School's game against Camden, according to a probable cause affidavit.
A Texarkana Police Department officer patrolling the parking lot at about 10:15 p.m. was alerted by several people leaving the game who saw a man with a firearm running after another man.
The officer was searching for the suspect when he was approached by a school security officer -- who had a gun wrapped in a red shirt -- pointing to a man with long dreadlocks as the person who had possessed the firearm, the affidavit said. Several bystanders confirmed the suspect identified by the school security officer was the same man they had witnessed running with a weapon in hand.
Officer Peyton Harris walked up behind the suspect, later identified as Horton, and took control of him, according to the affidavit. Horton was yelling and cursing "toward several subjects in the parking lot as if he was trying to provoke a violent response and start a fight," the affidavit said.
Horton looked behind him as Harris, who was wearing his police uniform, grabbed his arms. Horton struggled to free his arms and attempted to walk away, but the officer was able to get Horton into handcuffs, according to the affidavit.
While trying to walk with Horton from in between parked cars, Horton yelled, cursed and attempted to pull away, the affidavit said. Harris and Lt. Chris Rankin had to physically place Horton into a patrol car after Horton refused to get in the cruiser on his own, according to the affidavit.
Harris concluded Horton was under the influence of some type of drug because of Horton's slurred speech, bloodshot eyes and unsteady gait, the affidavit said. The odor of synthetic marijuana also could be smelled on Horton's clothing and he had trouble walking without swaying, according to the affidavit.
The pistol Horton was accused of carrying contained one round in the chamber and three bullets in the magazine, the affidavit said.
A witness told police he and his family were getting in their car to leave after the game when they noticed a man running with a gun he was pointing at another man he was pursuing. The witness said he heard the sound of metal hitting the pavement as he hurriedly secured his child in a car seat and got the rest of the group into the family car, according to the affidavit.
The witness told police that he saw the gun on the ground in the parking lot and said the man who dropped it was still chasing the person he'd been pointing the pistol at previously. The witness said he used a red shirt from his car to pick up the gun, which he gave to the school security officer, the affidavit said.
State Desk on 10/12/2018