Vacationing GPD officer assists in Arkansas arrest

Thursday, January 21, 2016
Darrel Bunten (Courtesy photo)

Sometimes instinct just takes over.

That's the best explanation Greencastle Police Officer Darrel Bunten has for how he found himself, 550 miles from home, covered in mulch, helping an officer he didn't know wrestle a suspect to the ground.

In a letter from the Little Rock, Ark., chief of police, Bunten was recently commended for his efforts during a Tuesday, Dec. 29 incident at the Red Roof Inn where Bunten and wife Jamie were staying.

Bunten, who also serves as Fillmore's town marshal, assisted Officer David Bratton in arresting Ray Van Joyner after the suspect tried to get way from Bratton.

"The Little Rock Police Department and I would like to commend you for your service," Chief Kenton Buckner and Capt. Max Biggs wrote to Bunten in their commendation letter. "We appreciate your dedication as a police officer and coming to the aid of a fellow officer."

The Buntens were driving to a Texas Air Force base to attend a basic training graduation.

Having stopped in Little Rock for the night, they noticed a man in the hallway as they left their room in the morning. With the instinct of a veteran police officer, Bunten told his wife something was unusual about the man's behavior.

"When we got in the elevator, I told my wife, 'Something's not right. He doesn't fit,'" Bunten told the Banner Graphic.

Then as the Buntens were checking out, he noticed a police car parked out front. Asking the clerk why the police were there, Bunten was told a man had been sleeping in the back stairwell of the hotel for several months and they had called the police to have him arrested.

Looking out the window again, Bunten noticed the officer "walking with purpose" as he approached the same man the Buntens had seen in the hallway.

Bunten continued to watch as the officer confronted the and began to pat him down. As he and Jamie made their way to their car, something again struck him about what he was seeing.

"I think it's just police officer instinct, but we get this fight-or-flight response," Bunten said. "And he (the suspect) had a fight response. I could just tell. I've seen it too many times."

Then as Bratton was trying to switch which of Joyner's hands he was holding, the suspect made a move toward his pockets. Hearing the officer yell, "Don't do it. Don't do it," Bunten sprung into action.

"At that time, I just did it on instinct, thinking I was on duty or whatever. I dropped my bag and went running over to them," Bunten said.

Identifying himself as a police officer, Bunten immediately entered the fray.

As Bunten grabbed at Joyner, all three men went down in a bed of mulch next to the parking lot. Joyner made a move to get away, but at that time Bunten grabbed one arm, with the Little Rock officer getting the other.

As they sat him up, a crack pipe came out of his pocket and shattered near the squad car.

The two officers then struggled with Joyner to get him in the back of the car.

It was only at this time that Bratton's official backup arrived.

"(Your actions) allowed Mr. Joyner to be taken into custody without escalation of force and surely prevented anyone from being injured," the letter to Bunten stated.

Although uninjured, Bunten broke his glasses in the melee, as well as getting his jacket and pants covered in black mulch. What was mainly on Bunten's mind was being glad to have helped.

"They were thankful. The officer was thankful. It all worked out," Bunten said. I wasn't expecting to receive a letter. I wasn't expecting to receive any acknowledgment at all. I was just acting on instinct. It was a situation where another officer was in need."

Greencastle Police Chief Tom Sutherlin, who also received a copy of the letter, was proud of his officer.

"I was honored to receive a letter from a chief from another agency thanking our officer for his service," Sutherlin said. "Greencastle should be proud that they have an officer who takes his job professionally and seriously, that it doesn't matter where he is, he's willing to jump in and help in a time of need.

"I think it speaks volumes of his character and his person. He felt something that just didn't feel right," Sutherlin added. "And then when he saw that the police officer was struggling with that person, he jumped in and helped another brother in law enforcement that needed help."

Saying he'd never been on that side of things, Bunten said he just hopes someone would do the same for him.

"If the shoe was on the other foot, I would hope somebody would step forward and help me if needed."

Comments
View 9 comments
Note: The nature of the Internet makes it impractical for our staff to review every comment. Please note that those who post comments on this website may do so using a screen name, which may or may not reflect a website user's actual name. Readers should be careful not to assign comments to real people who may have names similar to screen names. Refrain from obscenity in your comments, and to keep discussions civil, don't say anything in a way your grandmother would be ashamed to read.
  • Job well done Officer Bunten.

    -- Posted by sierrabloom on Fri, Jan 22, 2016, at 7:38 AM
  • well done -Greencastle is lucky to have you

    -- Posted by talkymom3 on Fri, Jan 22, 2016, at 8:07 AM
  • Great job and so good to see positive stories about police officers!

    -- Posted by chicki1112 on Fri, Jan 22, 2016, at 8:46 AM
  • Happy to see? Yes

    Surprised? No

    Nice work Darrel you did good, as always.

    -- Posted by concernedcitizen3 on Fri, Jan 22, 2016, at 9:48 AM
  • Atta boy DARREL ! We're PROUD of you !

    -- Posted by Yathunk on Fri, Jan 22, 2016, at 10:14 AM
  • THANK YOU FOR KEEPING OTHERS SAFE. MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU SAFE AS WELL !!

    -- Posted by bain on Fri, Jan 22, 2016, at 10:21 AM
  • Great Job Darrel, Fillmore is fortunate to have you as a public servant as well!

    -- Posted by markysharky on Fri, Jan 22, 2016, at 11:07 AM
  • Talk about a BAD BOY ! This guy has a very long VIOLENT criminal history ! He will be gone for a LONG time !

    -- Posted by Yathunk on Fri, Jan 22, 2016, at 2:01 PM
  • We are not at all surprised! Great job, Darrel!

    -- Posted by Prince of Stardust Hills on Sat, Jan 23, 2016, at 7:33 PM
Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: