Authorities say a child was safely rescued over the weekend following an alleged kidnapping attempt in Sharp County.
According to a release from the Sharp County Sheriff’s Department, county dispatch received a distress call just before 10 a.m. on Saturday reporting an incident at a local restaurant where a male individual identified as Charlie Martin (pictured in his Sharp County Detention Center booking image), 38, allegedly entered the establishment, assaulted another man, and kidnapped an infant.
Witnesses said Martin fled the scene in a white Ford pickup truck, accompanied by an adult male passenger.
After receiving the call, law enforcement quickly located and pulled over the truck. During the traffic stop, authorities discovered the passenger was holding the infant.
The release said just before Martin drove away from the stop, Sharp County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Bryce Trivitt quickly pulled the child from the vehicle through the truck’s open window to safety.
According to the release, law enforcement then pursued Martin’s truck, which nearly caused collisions with oncoming vehicles, before utilizing a Pursuit Immobilization Tactic (PIT) to stop the vehicle.
Martin’s passenger fled into nearby woods while Martin engaged in a standoff with authorities after placing a handgun to his head. The release said Martin later surrendered after negotiating with Sharp County Sheriff Shane Russell.
Martin was taken to the Sharp County Detention Center, where he was placed on an investigative hold with charges of felony fleeing and possession of firearms by a certain person. Martin’s listed address was Woodland, Miss.
The Sharp County Sheriff’s Department thanked the police departments of Hardy, Highland, and Cherokee Village, along with the Arkansas State Police, for their assistance. The department said Martin’s passenger was not directly involved with the incident.
Image: Sharp County Detention Center
