LR woman arrested for multiple drug offenses at Lake Ouachita

Allegedly erratic behavior led to the arrest of a Little Rock woman in Lake Ouachita State Park late Saturday after meth, psychedelic mushrooms and several pills were found in her possession.

Sara Jane Williams, 45, of Little Rock address, was taken into custody shortly after 11:30 p.m. and charged with possession of a controlled substance (meth), punishable by up to 10 years in prison, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia, each punishable by up to six years, and two additional counts of possession of a controlled substance and public intoxication, all misdemeanors.

Williams, who reported no prior criminal record, appeared in Garland County District Court on Monday and was released later that day on $11,000 bail. His arraignment hearing is scheduled for Aug. 2.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Arkansas State Parks Commissioner Jeff Shell was notified by James Wilborn, the superintendent of Lake Ouachita State Park, shortly after 10 p.m. on Saturday that a disturbance had occurred in Area D.

The complainants told him that a woman at one of the campgrounds was “intoxicated,” came into their campsite and was “stumbling and talking uncontrollably.” The woman and a man then left the area in a white Hummer while calling the park’s emergency number.

Shell drove to the marina’s boat ramp and saw a white Hummer parked on the ramp at the water’s edge. He saw a woman, later identified as Williams, holding a beer can. He noticed that she was stumbling as she walked and that more beer cans were scattered on the ground. He also saw a man emptying a raft nearby.

When Shell made contact with the man and woman, Arkansas State Parks Sergeant Michael Boyes came to the rescue. Boyes reportedly smelled marijuana coming from the Hummer and also noticed Williams “fidgeting” and “swaying excessively,” which he interpreted, based on his training, as an indication that he was “possibly under the influence of meth.”

Boyes had Williams sit down and asked her and the man if there was anything illegal in the vehicle. They both reportedly said “no,” so he began searching the vehicle to determine if there was any probable cause.

In a pink purse containing Williams’ driver’s license, he allegedly found a plastic container containing 9.2 grams of a substance that later tested positive for meth and which Boyes said appeared to be “crushed ecstasy,” a container containing 0.8 grams of psilocybin, a psychedelic mushroom, six alprazolam tablets, a Schedule 4 narcotic, two buprenorphine hydrochloride tablets, a Schedule 3 narcotic, a used syringe with blood in it, and a second used syringe.

Williams was taken into custody on several charges and although no charges were filed against the man, he was evicted from the park. Williams was taken to the Garland County Detention Center and booked shortly before 3 a.m. Sunday.

Due to her disability and inability to communicate, Boyes was initially unable to complete her paperwork and handed it over to prison staff.