Two individuals have now been charged in Sequoyah County District Court after a man caught hiding in an attic on Oct. 23 caused a standoff with authorities at a residence on Gamma Circle Road in Roland.
Joshua P. Rapier, 38, and Traylynn M. Thompson, 35, are each facing a felony charge of child neglect. Rapier is facing an additional charge of obstructing an officer, while Thompson is also charged with harboring a fugitive from justice and resisting an officer.
Agent Travis Saulsberry with the District 27 Drug & Violent Crime Task Force reported on Oct. 23 that he was contacted by an Arkansas Probation and Parole officer regarding outstanding felony warrants for Rapier’s arrest out of Crawford and Sebastian counties. Rapier was reportedly wanted for failure to appear after he missed a court date related to a charge of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.
Saulsberry, along with Roland Assistant Police Chief Chris Waters and officer Brandon Luper, traveled to the residence where Thompson answered the door and stated Rapier wasn’t there. When officers asked to search the residence, she told them they couldn’t without a warrant.
Waters said there was a man in the backyard and as Lt. Tyler Ragan and Saulsberry were at the back of the home, Rapier reportedly ran inside.
According to the probable cause affidavit filed in the case, Ragan instructed Thompson to open the door multiple times, but she wouldn’t comply. After a standoff of more than an hour, police forced their way in and ordered Thompson outside. Because she wouldn’t comply, authorities were forced to physically restrain Thompson to put her in handcuffs.
Thompson reportedly continued to resist, screaming in front of two small children, who were present during the altercation. One of the children was an infant and the other was under the age of 5, according to the probable cause affidavit.
Thompson told authorities that she and the children were the only ones in the house but officers found an open door leading to the garage, and confronted her about Rapier being in the home.
The residence was then searched where the infant was located in a back bedroom and given to a family member.
In the garage, authorities discovered a chair that had been moved to a crawl space leading to the attic.
Officers then used a heat signature device where it showed a person through the ceiling of the house. Rapier was ordered out numerous times and told if he didn’t comply, a mace container would be thrown into the attic. Rapier then made his way to the crawlspace and was taken into custody.
Thompson was arrested and taken to the Sequoyah County Detention Center but Rapier claimed he had chest pains and was checked out by EMS personnel before being transported to a local hospital where he was cleared, and then transported to the center for booking.
Rapier and Thompson both pled not guilty to their charges and are now set for a Dec. 11 felony disposition docket with Associate District Judge Kyle Waters. Rapier received a $20,000 bond while Thompson’s bond was set at $10,000, according to court documents.
