Woman arrested near stolen vehicle after purse found inside

A local woman who was apparently in the area where a stolen vehicle was located Sunday was arrested after a purse apparently belonging to her was found inside.

Brandy Rene Taylor, 32, of Hot Springs, was arrested shortly before 3:30 p.m. and charged with felony theft by receiving more than $25,000, punishable by up to 20 years in prison, and was the subject of a misdemeanor arrest warrant for failure to comply, punishable by up to one year in prison.

Taylor was released later that day on $7,500 bond and is scheduled to appear June 21 in Garland County District Court.

According to court records, she was convicted Dec. 14, 2022, in Garland County of second-degree battery and theft by receiving a firearm and sentenced to five years of supervised probation, while a second count of second degree battery battery was dismissed.

According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly after 3 p.m., Hot Springs Police Officer 1st Class Stephan Parrott responded to the area of ​​Convention Boulevard and East Grand Avenue regarding a stolen vehicle.

Prior to his arrival, dispatchers said one of HSPD's license plate readers alerted on a stolen red Jeep Renegade in the East Grand area heading outbound.

Parrott spotted the vehicle parked at Frost-T-Treat, 1020 E. Grand, and saw that it was unoccupied, but a white man and a white woman were standing outside the restaurant.

He noted that the man and woman “appeared nervous” and observed officers walking by the vehicle. Parrott found a woman's purse in the front passenger seat and noted that the woman nearby did not appear to have a purse with her.

Inside the purse, he allegedly found an Arkansas ID for Taylor and was able to identify her as the woman nearby. He arrested and questioned her after explaining her rights. She allegedly admitted to driving and owning the vehicle earlier and was therefore taken into custody.