Woman arrested in area of ​​stolen vehicle after handbag found inside

A local woman who was reportedly in the area where a stolen vehicle was found on Sunday was arrested after a purse apparently belonging to her was found inside the car.

Brandy Rene Taylor, 32, of Hot Springs was taken into custody shortly before 3:30 p.m. and charged with theft over $25,000. The charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison. He had a warrant out for failure to comply, which carries a penalty of up to one year in prison.

Taylor was released later that day on $7,500 bail and is scheduled to appear in Garland County District Court on June 21.

According to court records, on December 14, 2022, she was found guilty in Garland County of second-degree assault and firearm theft and sentenced to five years’ probation while a second count of second-degree assault was dropped.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Hot Springs Police Officer 1st Class Stephan Parrott responded to the area of ​​Convention Boulevard and East Grand Avenue shortly after 3 p.m. on a stolen vehicle.

Prior to his arrival, dispatchers reported that one of HSPD’s license plate readers had reported a stolen red Jeep Renegade in the East Grand area, traveling south.

Parrott spotted the vehicle parked at Frost-T-Treat (1020 E. Grand) and saw that it was unoccupied, but a white man and woman were standing outside the restaurant.

He noticed that both the man and woman “seemed nervous” and observed the officers approaching the vehicle. Parrott found a woman’s purse on the passenger seat and noticed that the woman nearby did not appear to be carrying a purse.

In the purse, he allegedly found an Arkansas identification card belonging to Taylor and was able to identify her as the woman nearby. He detained her and questioned her after explaining her rights. She allegedly admitted to driving and owning the vehicle, so she was taken into custody.