Cape man, Arkansas woman accused of helping fugitive

A Cape Girardeau man and an Arkansas woman were charged Friday with helping an Arkansas fugitive try to escape arrest during a Thursday night police pursuit.

Mindi M. Mahan, 24, of Marmaduke, Ark., and Eddie D. Kent, 54, of Cape Girardeau are accused of trying to help 31-year-old Eric D. Kent of Jonesboro, Ark., escape Cape Girardeau police, Cape Girardeau Police Department spokesman Darin Hickey said.

Eric Kent was wanted on Arkansas warrants for possession of methamphetamine, kidnapping, aggravated assault and theft. Cape Girardeau police caught up with him at the intersection of Perryville Road and Cape Rock Drive after a brief chase. The arrest followed a 35-hour manhunt that started in Arkansas after a woman reported Eric Kent beat her and forced her into his vehicle.

Hickey said Cape Girardeau police found a vehicle thought to be involved in the Arkansas crimes and began watching it, which led to the chase.

Eddie Kent is Eric Kent's father, and he and Mahan were in a truck with Eric Kent when Cape Girardeau police tried to stop them Thursday night.

Eddie Kent, who Hickey said was driving the vehicle, was charged with DWI, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle and interfering with a felony arrest. He was in jail Friday on a $7,500 bond.

Hickey said Eddie Kent told police he knew his son was wanted by authorities when he drove away from police.

Mahan, who also had arrest warrants out of Arkansas, was charged with interfering with a felony arrest for allegedly trying to keep police from chasing Eric Kent on foot after he fled the vehicle. Her bond was set at $5,000 cash-only.

Eric Kent was charged with felony resisting arrest by fleeing, and was in jail on a $10,000 cash-only bond. He and Mahan will face the Missouri charges before being extradited to Arkansas, Hickey said.

msanders@semissourian.com

388-3652

Pertinent address:

Jonesboro, Ark.

Marmaduke, Ark.

Perryville Road and Cape Rock Drive, Cape Girardeau, Mo.