Skip to main content

FORMER FAULKNER COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPUTY FOUND GUILTY OF BATTERY ON INDIVIDUAL THAT WAS WORKING UNDERCOVER FOR CONWAY POLICE DEPARTMENT

EX-DEPUTY EUGENE WATLINGTON
 
Special Judge Mark Derrick found a former Faulkner County sheriff's deputy, Eugene Watlington, who was fired for using "excessive force" during an arrest in 2015, guilty of third-degree battery on Friday March 10th. 

Derrick set sentencing for Watlington for 1 p.m. April 7th in Faulkner County District Court.

Third-degree battery is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable in Arkansas by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $2,500

Derrick, a White County judge appointed to hear the case after Faulkner County's district judges recused, heard testimony in the case Feb. 24th. 


 
JUDGE MARK DERRICK

Derrick's name might sound familiar, the reason being he was attacked by a pet zebra back in 2015 and the story gained international attention.  
  
JUDGE ATTACKED BY PET ZEBRA

Evidence in the trial included a video showing Watlington repeatedly kicking Harvey Martin, who was being arrested after a gunfire-heavy, high-speed chase from Mayflower to Conway on May 4, 2015. Watlington was not helping secure Martin at the time.




 


Martin, 47, was treated at a hospital's emergency room and released to the sheriff's office.

Authorities later dropped charges related to the car chase against Martin after they learned his passenger, Christopher Cummings, had forced Martin to flee the police at gunpoint. The arrest of Cummings, who fired the shots at deputies' cars, was not captured on the video, recorded on a Mayflower police officer's body camera.

Derrick released his verdict in a two-sentence letter sent to the district court, Short and the case's special prosecutor, Tom Tatum.

TOM TATUM

"After considering all the evidence presented I find the Defendant guilty of Battery in the 3rd Degree," Derrick wrote. He then set the April 7 sentencing date.

The letter offered no comment on the decision, though Derrick had said at the end of the trial that he wanted to watch the video again before ruling.

Tatum said late Friday that the ruling was "what I expected."

"I felt like ... the biggest piece of evidence in the case was the video," Tatum said.

The Mayflower officer, Dalton Elliott, filmed the arrest after he joined Faulkner County deputies in chasing the Mustang carrying Martin and Cummings at speeds of more than 100 mph. 

Authorities have since said Martin was working undercover for Conway police the night of the arrest, though sheriff's deputies apparently didn't realize that at the time.

 
OFFICER DALTON ELLIOTT RECORDED WATLINGTON KICKING MARTIN


Watch a video of Officer Elliot being interviewed by Faulkner County Sheriff's Department. 



There is some bad blood between the Faulkner County Sheriff's Office and Elliot in that he once worked for them and was fired and has since filed a lawsuit against them.  CLICK TO VIEW THE COMPLAINT

There was no reason whatsoever for them to Marandize Elliot.  Shit move by the FCSO.  

Former Sheriff Andy Shock fired Watlington in July 2015 after Shock concluded Watlington had used excessive force during the arrest.

Elliott testified last month that he counted "nine to 10 times" that the 6-foot-1 Watlington, who weighed 310 pounds according to his arrest warrant, kicked Martin with his boot.

Glen Cooper, a Conway police officer, testified that Martin was trying to help police locate Cummings that night. Cooper said Watlington asked him to question Martin after the arrest because Watlington said Martin wouldn't want to talk with him. Watlington then smiled and shined a flashlight on one of his boots, Cooper said.

Elliott testified that Martin did not resist arrest, but three sheriff's deputies disputed that statement. They testified that Martin tried to keep his hands under his waistband and could have been trying to get his pocketknife.



Watch a pitiful video of Martin being interviewed by authorities while in the hospital.




Watch Martin being interview at the Faulkner County Sheriff's Department.



Watch a second, follow-up interview with Martin.



Watlington made a plea on social media for letters about his character to try and get his job back at the Sheriff's Department before his trial for battery began.

 
We have requested Watlington's file from the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards & Training and will post an update when the information is received.

 

Popular posts from this blog

ASP Trooper texts and stalks a 14 year old that was near same age as his own daughter, while having an affair with her married sister.

Was ASP Trooper Billy Martin trying to pull all 3 sisters?   In January 2019, Callie Hinson and Joseph Ramer began dating. On June 13, 2020, Joseph proposed to Callie.  They were married on February 21, 2021. By the time of their first anniversary, their marriage was in shambles and Callie was estranged from her family all due to this man, Arkansas State Police Trooper Billy Mitchell Martin. Martin joined the ASP as a recruit in January of 2007. Records from his personnel file indicate he was from Boone County and he was posted there after graduating troop school.   Martin was promoted to Trooper First Class in July 2011 and Corporal in July 2014. In late 2019 and early 2020, Martin tried to get transferred to a Criminal Investigation position in Boone County but was unsuccessful. Around that same time, Martin filed for divorce from his wife of 10 years.   The Divorce was finalized in March 2020. Martin hit the single scene hard and had no trouble hooking up with bad...
Read more

Arkansas State Police Troopers fired for illicit sexual relationship

  Two Arkansas State Police Troopers were fired on April 5, 2024 after administrative investigations were conducted into accusations that they were romantically involved. Sgt. Mark Austin Blackerby (38 and married) of Scott and Trooper Jessica Diane McCord (30 and single) of Conway during their interviews with the State Police Office of Professional Standards ("OPS") in January 2024, were dishonest about the affair according to records provided to us by the ASP. Blackerby and his wife Cassie - a Jacksonville cop Initially, the investigation focused on Blackerby and both Blackerby and McCord denied a sexual relationship even though ASP vehicle tracking systems showed their vehicles parked at secluded locations for hours at at time and his vehicle at her home in Conway multiple times when he was on the clock. Blackerby admitted that he also disabled the tracking devices in his vehicle to try and hide his movements and their hookups.  Blackerby told investigators that he is a ...
Read more

Fired Dover City Marshal Nathan Jones Accused of Exploiting Dying Man to Take Control of His Estate

  A video of a part-time Dover, AR city marshal threatening a local business that went viral on social media, resulted in his termination of employment on October 1st.   Here's the video. Apparently Jones was the subject of rumors in the town. Rumors about meth pipes and the 479 Smoke Shop.   According to records obtained from the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards & Training ("CLEST"), Jones previously worked part-time for the Dover Marshal's Office from October 26, 2007 through January 2, 2009.   Jones was also elected in 2023 as the Martin Township Constable and held that position under he lost to Ricky "Perch" Parks in 2025.   Don't worry about Jones losing his part-time job. As his campaign literature detailed, he owns a couple of businesses in area. During our investigation of Jones for this story, we found that he had been accused of exploiting Daniel L. Koester, 64 years old, who had cancer and had been in hospice after sufferin...
Read more