HOT SPRINGS -- A homeless man was arrested on a felony burglary charge early Wednesday after police said he entered a house through the doggy door and then fled after encountering two large dogs inside.
Dominique Jamaal Martin, 38, was taken into custody around 5:30 a.m. in the 100 block of Ward Street in Hot Springs.
According to a probable cause affidavit, shortly after 5 a.m. Wednesday, Hot Springs police Officer Aaron Combs responded to a residence in the 100 block of Murray Street regarding a burglary.
He spoke to the homeowner, who said his alarm was triggered and he saw a man inside his residence on his surveillance video. The homeowner was unsure if anything was missing or damaged.
Officers viewed the video, which showed a man entering the home by crawling through a back doggy door. The man could be seen walking around inside the house until he saw the dogs, at which time he fled out the front door and ran north toward East Grand Avenue.
Officer 1st Class Joel Crook spotted a man, later identified as Martin, who matched the description in the 100 block of Ward Street and detained him, police said. Combs identified Martin as the person seen in the video.
Martin denied "breaking into" the residence but admitted he entered the house through the doggy door, police said.