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18 hours ago
- General
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Caves complicate search for escaped Arkansas inmate
RELATED VIDEO: Escaped Arkansas inmate started tumultuous law enforcement career in Fayetteville (May 29, 2025) GATEWAY, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The manhunt for escaped Arkansas inmate Grant Hardin takes officials through the eroded plateaus of the Ozarks — and may extend to the area's many caves. The search for Hardin continues after his escape from North Central Unit in Calico Rock on May 25, with authorities using dogs, drones and helicopters. The topography of the Ozarks already complicates efforts, but officials remain alert to potential threats that may lie beneath the surface. 'Caves have definitely been a source of concern and a point of emphasis,' Arkansas Department of Corrections spokesperson Rand Champion told the Associated Press. The Natural State is home to close to 2,000 documented caves. However, most of these caves remain absent from public maps. 'Cave locations tend to be fairly well-guarded,' University of Arkansas geosciences professor Matt Covington told KNWA/FOX24. 'Most landowners don't want the locations of their caves publicly available… Cavers also tend to be pretty secretive when it comes to locations, because caves are a fragile environment that is easy to damage if you don't have the appropriate skill set.' Former Washington Co. Sheriff recalls time working as Grant Hardin's Lieutenant The specific locations of significant caves fall under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). However, whether access to confidential cave information is granted or denied is entirely up to the authorized officer's discretion and cannot be appealed or reviewed administratively. Covington said the graphic below—created by Tennessee geographer Chuck Sutherland using data from the Association for Arkansas Cave Studies Inc.—are one of the 'best' visualizations currently available to the public. To view Sutherland's other graphics, including those for neighboring states, click here. Many caves in Arkansas, aside from the well-known ones, have small, hard-to-find entrances. With public cave maps virtually non-existent and knowledge of the caves limited to professionals, landowners and the government, that leaves one last group who knows their locations: locals like Hardin. Pea Ridge cafe owner Darla Nix told the AP that Hardin 'knows where the caves are.' Nix also described Hardin as a 'survivor' and recalls him being 'very, very smart.' One FBI archive article details how the terrain of western North Carolina, comparable to that of northern Arkansas, allowed bomber Eric Rudolph to successfully hide for years. Rudolph, an experienced outdoorsman, evaded capture by using remote cabins and hidden caves during a five-year manhunt that ended in 2003, according to the archive. Cave expert Michael Ray Taylor told the AP that while it's possible to hide in these caves for long periods, the need to leave for supplies increases the risk of discovery. Newton County: 299 Stone County: 138 Madison County: 138 Carroll County: 135 Washington County: 134 Benton County: 112 Searcy County: 89 Marion County: 78 Boone County: 69 Izard County: 68 Crawford County: 62 Baxter County: 35 Independance County: 35 Sharp County: 10 Lawerence County: 7 Pope County: 6 Randolph County: 5 Fulton County: 3 Van Buren County: 1The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
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Multiple Northwest Arkansas cities ranked safest in state
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The most recent data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation proves how safe Northwest Arkansas is, with 12 cities being in the top 20 safest. The FBI's Crime Data Explorer shows that half of Arkansas' 20 safest cities experienced a year-over-year decline in violent crime. A report by Safewise shows: The top three cities in the list—Cave Springs, Austin, and Pottsville—reported zero murders, rapes, and robberies. For the second year in a row, Gentry reported zero burglaries. 5 cities reported fewer than five violent crimes: Cave Springs, Austin, Pottsville, Cherokee Village, and Vilonia. A sample survey of about 5,000 Arkansans highlights that more than half of Arkansans are concerned about violent crime, a Safewise survey shows. Arkansas Department of Corrections gives Wednesday update on Izard County escapee The survey also shows that 44% of our Arkansans said they use firearms to protect their property, the third-highest percentage in the nation after Alaska (48%) and Idaho (46%). Arkansas residents were among those most likely to have experienced a property crime nationwide, according to our State of Safety survey. Nationwide, no city in Arkansas ranks among the safest cities. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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a day ago
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Rogers man arrested in connection with fatal Springdale shooting pleads not guilty
SPRINGDALE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — A Rogers man facing multiple charges, including capital murder, after being arrested in connection with a fatal shooting in Springdale pleaded not guilty on Friday, according to court documents. Ashton Balentine, 20, was arrested on April 29 for capital murder, attempted capital murder, aggravated residential burglary, perpetrating a crime with a machine gun and first-degree endangering the welfare of a minor. During Balentine's arraignment on Friday, the judge kept the no-bond order in place, according to Washington County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Denis Dean. His trial date is set for August 5. A news release from the Springdale Police Department said officers responded to 405 Wayland Drive for a gunshots call. Officers found two people with gunshot wounds and began life-saving measures. Willie Tillman, 19, of Marianna, was pronounced dead at the scene. A female victim was taken to a nearby hospital. Arkansas escapee has extensive history in Northwest Arkansas law enforcement A preliminary report said a witness told police that Balentine let himself into the residence from the unlocked front door and walked past the witness's bedroom door. The witness told police he saw Balentine break down the door to the female victim's bedroom and start shooting. The witness said he heard 'a lot' of gunshots and saw Balentine use an 'automatic' with an 'extender' to shoot the victims. The release said Balentine initially fled the scene but later turned himself in to authorities and was taken into custody. Balentine was interviewed and led investigators to the location of the gun, a Glock 17 modified to be fully automatic, which was seized. Police also found 9 mm shell casings. The witness told police that earlier in the day, he had told Balentine that the female victim, and Balentine's ex-girlfriend, was at the home. Balentine told the witness he was 'over it.' The report says the female victim's child was in her crib near where the victims were shot. The victims were on the bed in the bedroom. Police said the incident appeared to be isolated, and there was no immediate threat to the general public. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
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Escaped Arkansas inmate started tumultuous law enforcement career in Fayetteville
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The search continues for Grant Hardin, a former police chief and convicted murderer and rapist, who got his start in law enforcement in Washington County. KNWA/FOX24 received a nearly 200-page personnel file about Hardin from the Fayetteville Police Department, where he worked from August 6, 1990, to May 22, 1991. The file starts by showing Hardin's original application to the Fayetteville Police Department. The application shows Hardin got a normal start here in Northwest Arkansas, attending Pea Ridge High School in 1981, where he was an exemplary student who was involved in multiple clubs, including National Honor Society, student council and ROTC. The application for that police job asks about his hobbies, where Hardin handwrites that he enjoyed things like hunting, weightlifting and basketball. A later page shows his apparent desire to become a police officer, where Hardin writes, 'I have finally reached the age to where I can apply for a law enforcement position, and I feel that the responsibility of protecting the public is one I am willing to take on.' The application asks his thoughts on deadly force, to which he writes that it is 'a last resort, but should be used if absolutely necessary.' A common part of the application process to become a police officer is finding character references and in the file, Hardin has multiple references. Hardin used pastors, family friends and Sunday school teachers as references. Arkansas escapee has extensive history in Northwest Arkansas law enforcement References described Hardin as an honest Christian boy who held all of the right qualities to make a good officer. Another reference from an apparent church friend said he would 'trust Hardin with anything' and that they had 'never seen him mad.' His pastor, saying Hardin was 'kind and courteous,' who was 'not drawn by the crowd,' and that he would 'hire him in a minute.' His former Sunday school teacher said, 'I'm retired now, but he still takes the time to come visit me.' The rest of the file details his experiences during his field training, where officers say that Hardin failed to improve as a patrolman. Later on in the file is his termination letter from the Fayetteville Police Department. The then-chief stated that his efforts fell short of the average probationary officer and that he had a hard time accepting criticisms. That letter marked the beginning of a tumultuous career in law enforcement. Click here for more information on Hardin's law enforcement history, including his time as police chief in Gateway. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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2 days ago
- Climate
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Weather Blog: Weekend Outlook
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA)— With a rainy weekend last week, will we have another Seattle-like weekend? This Weather Blog has the answers! Tomorrow will be a FANTASTIC Friday. After a system has pushed through Thursday, high pressure will fill in, clearing the skies for a bright and sunny day across Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley. Morning lows will be in the mid-50s, and high temperatures will reach around the mid-to-upper 70s. Winds will be out of the North to Northwest throughout the day at 5-10 mph with gusts up to 15 mph. Skies will start off with plenty of sun, but by the afternoon, high clouds will roll in, accompanied by some low and mid-level clouds that will increase in the evening. Overnight Saturday into Sunday, a few showers and storms are expected at times from 10 pm until 5 am Sunday. There is no severe weather threat at this time. Temperatures in the morning will hover in the mid-to-upper 50s, with high temperatures between 71-76°. Winds will likely be out of the West to Northwest around 5-10 mph. The radar should be quiet by sunrise, however, there will be mostly cloudy skies in the morning, turning into partly cloudy by midday. Because of all the cloud cover from overnight, morning lows will be in the low-to-mid 60s. Enough sunshine should warm us up into the mid-80s across the region. Winds will be light and variable. The best way to stay updated when there's a severe weather threat is to download YOUR Weather Authority App. Click Here to Download Your Weather Authority app Follow YOUR Weather Authority Team: On X, formerly known as Twitter: Dan Skoff Zach Gilday Josh Rugger Peyton Langford On Facebook: Meteorologist Dan Skoff Meteorologist Zach Gilday Josh Rugger Meteorologist Peyton Langford Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
