Newton County Sheriff's Office

05/28/2026

Sheriff Wheeler and the Newton County Sheriff's Office would like to remind everyone of the dangers of low water crossings during heavy rainfall. Our creeks and rivers rise and fall quickly, that's no secret, but we tend to forget about the dangers of the fast moving flood waters. It takes only 6 inches of water to carry away an adult, 12 inches to carry away a small car, and 18-24 inches to carry away most trucks. Please be safe and plan alternate routes to avoid low water crossings or alternate places to stay during high water. We care about our residents and visitors want everyone to get to their family's safely. Turn around don't drown.

05/26/2026

*********************UPDATE***************
The Sheriff’s Office phones are back up and working. Thank you for your patience.

The sheriff’s Office phones will be down for the next little bit while Ritter works on them. If you have an emergency the 911 phones are still working.

05/15/2026

Seat Belts Saves Lives
Buckle Up May 18 – May 31, and Every Day

Jasper, AR — The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is urging drivers to buckle up ahead of the Click It or Ticket seat belt safety campaign. The national high-visibility seat belt enforcement effort, which coincides with the Memorial Day holiday, runs May 18-31, 2026.
“Seat belt use should be an automatic habit for drivers and passengers alike,” said Corporal Adam Sirmons “During the Click It or Ticket campaign, we’ll be working with our fellow law enforcement officers across local and state lines to ensure the message gets out to drivers and passengers. Not buckling up could mean a ticket, or worse, risking a life.”
In 2024, there were 9,758 unbuckled passenger vehicle occupants killed in traffic crashes. The national seat belt use rate in 2024 was 91.2%, which is good — but it can be better. The other 8.8% still need to be reminded that seat belts save lives. Participating law enforcement agencies will be taking a no-excuses approach to seat belt law enforcement, writing citations day and night.
One of the focuses of the Click It or Ticket seat belt campaign is nighttime enforcement. NHTSA data shows a higher number of unrestrained occupant fatalities happen at night (56% between the hours of 6 p.m. and 5:59 a.m.). Of the males killed in crashes in 2023, more than half (53%) were unrestrained. For females killed in crashes, 41% were not buckled up.
Buckle Up the Right Way
• Place the shoulder belt across the middle of the chest and away from the neck.
• Lay the lap belt across the hips and not the stomach.
• NEVER place the seat belt behind the back or under arms.
“We are asking friends and family to remind each other to buckle up in the front and back seats and to consider changing their habits if they don’t,” said Corporal Adam Sirmons. “Seat belts save lives, and everyone — front seat and back, child and adult — needs to remember to buckle up.”
For more information on the Click It or Ticket seat belt high-visibility enforcement campaign, please visit NHTSA.gov/ClickIt.

05/04/2026

WOMAN ARRESTED NEAR PELSOR FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER, OTHER FELONIES

Newton County Sheriff Glenn Wheeler said his office was notified that a 67-year-old woman had been seriously attacked near Pelsor. The alleged suspect was the victim’s sister. When Deputies arrived, they found the victim in an ambulance with obvious serious injuries.
Deputies learned that the victim had been sleeping when the suspect, Rosemarie Starr, aged 61, burst into the room yelling - among other things - that she would kill the victim. She allegedly threatened to kill the victim multiple times. As this was happening Starr began striking the victim in the head and on other parts of the body with a hammer. The victim fell out of the bed and Starr continued hitting the victim with the hammer. Starr then fled the home.
Deputies located Starr nearby but she refused to cooperate. She was taken into custody and charged with Conduct Constituting Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, Domestic Battery in the First Degree and Terroristic Threatening - all felony charges.
Starr was transported to the Newton County Jail. A judge set her bond at $500,000.00. The victim was transported to a Russellville hospital by ambulance.

Send a message to learn more

04/29/2026

Phones and internet have been restored at the Sheriff's Office.

04/28/2026

Due to a lightning strike, the phones and Internet are out of service at the Sheriff's Office. We will update as changes occur.

911 lines are still in service at this time.

04/15/2026

Sheriff Wheeler would like to share our new App with everyone! Our new app will allow the Newton Sheriff's Office and the Newton County Office of Emergency Management to send important notifications to your phone. This includes weather updates or any safety concerns that community needs to know about.
The app will also allow the public to submit anonymous tips and has burn ban updates. There are links to the schools’ webpages, fine payments, river water levels, and other webpages that concern our community.
The app also offers the opportunity for community to provide positive feed back on the actions that our hard-working Sheriff’s Office employees are doing everyday through the Commend an Employee option under the Community Outreach tab. Coming soon to the app will be the inmate search option and the s*x offender registry search. Sheriff Wheeler says, “This app will provide an avenue for information to get to our residents and guests in a timely manner. I am excited to continue the great relationship that my office has with our community and believe that this app in a step in that direction.”

04/15/2026

Plan for a Safe and Sober Ride on 420 — and Everyday

Jasper, AR — Ahead of April 20, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is reminding drivers that it’s illegal in every state and territory to drive under the influence of drugs. On “420” — a number associated with ma*****na — some might observe a day of increased ma*****na use. But no matter the day, the message is the same: If You Feel Different, You Drive Different.
“Driving while impaired by any substance — legal or illegal — puts you and others in harm’s way,” said Cpl. Adam Sirmons. “It’s a common and dangerous misconception that people drive better when they are high,” reminds Adam.
Driving high has serious and deadly consequences. A NHTSA study, from 2019-2021, showed that 26% of drivers seriously injured or killed in crashes tested positive for ma*****na.
If someone sees a friend who is about to drive high, they should take away the keys and help them get a sober ride home. And, if anyone spots an impaired driver on the road, contact the Newton County Sheriff’s Office at 870-446-5124 or 911.
Drugs, including ma*****na, affect driving abilities, which puts everyone on the road at risk. It has been proven that ma*****na can slow reaction times, impair cognitive performance, and make it more difficult for drivers to keep a steady position in their lane. These are all unsafe driving behavior that can cause serious injuries or death in a crash.
A key to preventing impaired driving is to plan ahead. Designating a sober driver — that’s someone who won’t be drinking or using drugs — is one option. Other options include not consuming alcohol or drugs unless you plan on statin at that location.
Join NHTSA in sharing the lifesaving message, If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. For more information on drug-impaired driving, visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drug-impaired-driving.

04/15/2026

‼️‼️SCAM ALERT‼️‼️

Multiple Newton County residents have received text messages today that contained an image indicating they had outstanding tickets from the State of Arkansas and/or Pulaski County.

This is a scam! If you receive this text, delete it. Don't respond and definitely don't try to pay any fines. It is absolutely bogus.

04/13/2026

We have some of the BEST! Thank you Christy Kilgore, Marie Cook, Elizabeth Harrison, Samantha Miller and Christy Ratliff! We appreciate you all more than you know!💛💙💛💙