Investigators with the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Rest Area located between Black Rock and Imboden on Saturday after a man claimed he was both assaulted and robbed.
The incident began when the Lawrence County Dispatch received a 911 call at 5:23 pm from management at the Kum-N-Go in Black Rock stating a man had driven up to the store and was bloody claiming he needed help. Lawrence County Dispatch paged the Black Rock Fire Department, AET Ambulance and Lawrence County Deputies to the scene. Officers from Lake Charles State Park were in the area and first on scene. Arkansas State Park Rangers radioed dispatch and relayed information from the victim who stated that he was assaulted and robbed when he stopped at the Rest Area. Rangers stated that he had no vehicle information on the alleged suspects and could only say that he believed it was two African American males.
Lawrence County Sheriff’s Deputies responded from both north of the Rest Area near Imboden and south of the Rest Area near Portia, as deputies responded to the area they watched for any suspects matching the claims of the man but saw nothing. Once on scene deputies and medics attempted to treat the victim and get answers from him. The male victim refused treatment from medics for what is described as non-life threatening wounds. Deputies interviewing the victim soon discovered the male possibly suffered from mental illness and admitted to taking several prescription drugs for his condition.
Deputies called Lawrence County Criminal Investigators to the area of the Rest Area to interview and investigate the man’s claims. Investigators walked the alleged victim around the property video taping his statement and trying to make sense of the man’s story. Although investigators can’t explain the wounds to the man, it is not believed that an attack or robbery ever took place. Lawrence County CID wants to emphasize that they do not believe any danger to the public was ever present.
After a lengthy interview, the victim stated he suffers from black outs, seizures and hallucinations. No evidence of an assault was found at the Rest Area according to Lawrence County CID. Family members of the man were contacted by deputies, the family members drove in from Baxter County and picked up the man and his vehicle and returned him home.
Lawrence County CID wants to reiterate that they don’t believe an actual assault or robbery occurred as claimed, the investigation in still ongoing according to Lawrence County Criminal Investigation Division.
For more information on the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, visit www.lawrencecountysheriffsoffice.com .