A Midway man has been arrested and is facing 11 charges after allegedly threatening his live-in girlfriend and her children with a machete. Being held in the Baxter County Detention Center is 44-year-old Kenneth Ray Ward.According to the incident report from the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office, three deputies and two Arkansas State Police troopers responded to the residence on County Road 913 near the Baxter County Airport late Wednesday night when the female victim told dispatch Ward was holding her and her children against their will in the house with a machete.
When deputies arrived, the female and children had escaped and were in the driveway. Multiple commands were made for Ward to exit the residence but he did not respond. Deputies gained entry through the back door of the residence and found Ward sitting on the couch and took him into custody.
The victim told deputies the incident started when Ward became upset because there wasn’t milk for their 10-month-old baby and she needed to go to the store to get some. He allegedly hit her in the head with his cellphone and then with the baby’s playpen. He then had the machete behind his back and wouldn’t let her leave. Her eight-year-old son said Ward was holding the machete and said “if you leave, I’m going to slit your throats.”
Deputies also noted the female victim had burn marks she said came from Ward several days earlier but she was afraid to contact law enforcement about them.
Deputies searched for the machete, but were unable to find it. The female said “he likes to hide things everywhere in the house.” She also advised both she and Ward are felons and have search waivers on file. She said Ward uses drugs and told deputies where they might find some of the drugs and paraphernalia.
During a search of the house for the machete, deputies found a glass pipe used for smoking methamphetamine, needles, used needles, baggies with residue, a baggie with suspected methamphetamine and a grinding device that was covered in a white residue that appeared to be methamphetamine or cocaine.
Ward is facing three counts of aggravated assault on a household member, three counts of false imprisonment in first degree, two counts of endangering the welfare of a minor, possession of methamphetamine or cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia, all felonies. He is also facing a misdemeanor charge of domestic battery in the third degree. His bonds total $25,000.
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