Man charged with breaking into vehicles and attempting to break into a building appears in court

A 66-year-old Mountain Home man charged with attempting to break into a building and vehicles at a used car lot and with skipping a court appearance on those charges was in Baxter County Circuit Court/Criminal Division September 22.Ben David Johnson was arrested in early April last year when a Mountain Home police officer responded to a report of a male involved in suspicious activity at a business located along U.S. Highway 62 East at Langston Drive.
KEEPING

APPOINTMENTS NOW A PROBLEM

Since being arrested, Johnson is said to have refused to make appointments set up for him to have a psychological examination. Circuit Judge John Putman said the next time an exam was scheduled, he wanted Johnson picked up two days prior to the exam date if he was not in custody and held until his examination was completed.

When the Mountain Home police officer arrived on scene to investigate the suspicious person report, Johnson was located walking away from the car lot. When asked what he was doing, Johnson is alleged to have replied that he “had been told he could get things from local businesses.”

When Johnson had initially been confronted at the business, he is reported to have yelled that he was being assaulted and began to walk away.

Johnson was reported to have been carrying a black flashlight taken from a vehicle on the lot. The owner’s manual for a Ford Explorer was found in the backpack Johnson was carrying.

The investigation also showed that Johnson had allegedly attempted to enter an office/storage building on the property.

A gray prybar was found next to a side window where the owner had first confronted Johnson. Since he had been interrupted, Johnson was reported not to have gained entry but had started to pry the outside screen off.

The owner said he had been having an ongoing problem with Johnson coming onto the property. It is alleged that Johnson had once stolen a truck from the lot but it had been returned and no charges were filed, but Johnson had been “trespassed from the property” at the time of the truck theft.

Johnson was ordered to reappear in circuit court October 20.

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