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Man with ‘history of fleeing and violence’ accused of spitting on officer’s face, threatening jailer during arrest in Jonesboro

Man with ‘history of fleeing and violence’ accused of spitting on officer’s face, threatening jailer during arrest in Jonesboro

Photo: Contributed/Craighead County Sheriff's Office


Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – Aug. 13, 2025 – A man faces several charges after Jonesboro police said he spat on an officer’s face after he was caught in a foot chase and threatened to kill a jailer during arrest.

Craighead County District Judge Tommy Fowler found probable cause Aug. 13 to charge 30-year-old Marcus Warren Alexander, of Memphis, TN, with the following:

  • Interfering with a law enforcement officer
  • Aggravated assault upon a law enforcement officer or employee of the state
  • Violation of a no-contact order
  • First-degree criminal mischief
  • Fleeing
  • Disorderly conduct

The charges stem from an incident on Aug. 12, in which officers were dispatched to a home on Santa Fe Circle for a person refusing to leave.

Officers found Alexander in the driveway. According to the affidavit, he attempted to walk away from the home as they began to tell him to stop, but then he ran away, jumping fences into other backyards and then running to Stonemill Drive, where he was caught.

Police said while Alexander was being walked to a transport vehicle, he slammed his head into it, causing a large dent in the hood. As he was being put into the vehicle, Alexander spat on an officer’s face, entering the officer’s right eye and the right corner of his mouth.

Alexander then proceeded to yell and curse at the officers, kicking the vehicle door and slamming his face off the cage while trying to spit on the transport officer, the affidavit said.

The affidavit said once he was at the Craighead County Detention Center, Alexander continued to try and spit on officers, forcing them to secure him into a spit mask restraint chair.

According to the affidavit, Alexander continued to yell, kick, and scratch as the officers and jail staff. At one point, he directly threatened to kill one of the jailers.

It was noted at Wednesday’s hearing that Alexander had violated a no-contact order previously set and was on probation. The affidavit also noted Alexander had a history of fleeing and violence.

Due to those reasons, Fowler set Alexander’s bond at $25,000 cash-only, also ordering him another no-contact order and to wear a GPS ankle monitor upon release.

Alexander’s next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 30.

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