Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – June 19, 2024 – Jonesboro Police were sent to the area near Aggie Road and State Street around midnight on Monday night in relation to a check area call.
Officers noticed a vehicle in the area that didn’t belong and decided to make contact.
They found 39-year old Deursla Barron in the third row of the vehicle, alone. When they asked what she was doing, she advised them that she was “peeing.”
During their investigation, officers removed Barron from the vehicle and attempted to speak with her. They described her demeanor as “uncooperative” and “noncompliant.” She continually told them to shut up and to stop talking to her.
When asked if she was on probation, Barron told officers multiple times that she was not. Even when officers checked and told her that she was, she again told offers to “shut up.”
One officer’s narrative states that she “was yelling and cursing at officers throughout the entire incident.”
When attempting to place Barron into custody for noncompliance, she resisted arrest multiple times and was even tased twice during the encounter.
Once officers transported Barron to the jail, she spat directly into an Officer’s face and screamed that she had AIDS.
The report states that “Barron lifted her head up, and spat on an officer’s face, causing spit to go into his eyes and mouth areas. After Barron spit on the officer, one of the jail staff asked her why she did that. She responded by saying ‘because I have AIDS bitch!'”
The officer who she spat on noted in his narrative that “During incident she was calling me ‘black bitch.'”
The detective who was assigned the case for investigation noted “Upon reviewing the body camera video, Barron clearly spits in the face of the Patrolman.”
Barron was charged with knowingly exposing HIV, aggravated assault on LE Officer, obstructing governmental operations, and resisting arrest. The PC paperwork stated that she “refused to sign or cooperate in any way.”
She was given a $35,000 cash only bond and was required to execute a blood draw warrant.
She was described as a danger to the public, a habitual offender, she was already on probation, has a long criminal history, and has several prior FTAs.
The probable cause document states: On 06/18/2024 at approximately 0030 hours Jonesboro Police Officers were on patrol in the area of 103 North State Street when they noted a vehicle suspiciously parked in the area with its hazard lights on. Officers investigated the vehicle and found Deursla Barron in the rear seat of the vehicle. The Officer was familiar with Barron through previous interactions and asked if she was on probation. Barron became angry and stated that she was not. The Officer suspected that Barron was lying to him about her probation status and verified that Barron was indeed on probation. The Officer instructed Barron to exit the vehicle and Barron became upset yelling loudly at the Officer and failing to comply with lawful commands. At this time the Officer elected to detain Barron in handcuffs based on her actions. Barron resisted, pulling away from the Officer who then placed her face down on the ground. Barron continued to actively resist arrest by placing her hands under her body and refusing to be handcuffed. Additional Officers arrived and Barron was taken into custody. Once at the jail Barron continued to shout at Police and Jail staff and refused orders to sit on the bench and be booked in. Eventually the jail staff placed Barron in a restraint chair due to her noncompliance. Once in the restraint chair Barron spit directly into the face of a Jonesboro Police Officer striking him in the eye with her saliva while shouting that she has AIDS. Barron was left in jail custody.