Officer Kristi Mitchell

Public Information Officer

903-798-3187 (office) 903-260-0294 (pager)

903-824-4199 (cell) 903-798-3023 (fax)

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Officers Make a Felony Arrest for Filing a False Police Report

The Texarkana Arkansas Police Department has, Johnny Ray Dansby, B/M 49 yoa, in custody today after he confessed to filing a false police report, claiming he had been kidnapped by three unknown black males at gunpoint. On February 4, 2008, at 6:30 P.M., Texarkana Arkansas Police Officer Shane Kirkland responded to 711 Hickory Street, EZ-Mart, in reference to an Aggravated Robbery. When Officer Kirkland arrived he met with Dansby, who was employed with Yellow Cab Company as a cab driver when the incident allegedly occurred. Dansby stated after dropping off a client, three unknown black males entered the rear of the cab at around 1:00 P.M. while he was at the Downtown Post Office parking lot. Dansby claimed one of the males pointed a pistol at him while he was ordered to drive them throughout different parts of both Texarkana Arkansas and Texas. Dansby said he drove the unknown suspects around for approximately two hours before he was able to stop the cab on Allen Lane and flee the area on foot. Dansby said after he was able to get away from the suspects he walked to numerous different businesses before finally stopping at the EZ-Mart and calling the police.

Officer Kirkland was aware that the Yellow Cab Company had reported the vehicle stolen at 1:00 P.M. in Texarkana Texas that day, after the business was unable to get Dansby to answer the company dispatch radio. It was also known several other cab operators reported seeing Dansby operate his assigned cab with no occupants during the same time frame that he was reportedly being held against his will. Officer Kirkland transported Dansby to CID where Detectives Jason Haak and Wayne Easley took over the investigation. Detectives questioned the incident as being fictitious but Dansby denied lying and continued to claim he was kidnapped and robbed. Upon further investigation, Detectives viewed the video footage of where the supposed incident took place and determined Dansby was in fact lying and were able to have a felony warrant issue for filing a false police report. Detectives located Dansby at the Salvation Army where he was arrested for the warrant and transported to the Bi-State where he ultimately confessed to making the entire story up.

Dansby is charged with filing a false police report which is a class D felony and carries a penalty of 1 to 5 years of imprisonment.

Anyone with information regarding this or any other crime is encouraged to notify TAPD or Texarkana area CrimeStoppers at 903-793-STOP.

Thank you and you can visit the Texarkana Arkansas Police Department online at http://www.txkusa.org/arkpolice.