A jury trial was scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Sept. 22 at the Western District Courthouse in Eureka Springs in a case charging Paul Michael Valdivieso of Berryville with criminal charges including robbery, reckless driving and aggravated assault stemming from an incident June 20, 2019, that involved a high-speed chase through Eureka Springs with Valdivieso allegedly driving a stolen Nissan Rogue.
The defendant, who was 32 at the time, allegedly tried to escape police during a circuitous chase through town, out to Lake Leatherwood and back to town that ended at the NAPA Auto Parts on US 62 where he was stopped and arrested after ramming the vehicle into a police car. The defendant reportedly said at the time that he was trying to escape a gang.
The trial was scheduled for Sept. 22 with 35 prospective jurors being part of a pool from which 14 jurors are needed. Another 35 prospective jurors who had been called to come in at 11 a.m. will be excused if enough are selected from the first pool, Carroll County Circuit Court Clerk Marilyn Ferrier said.
The trial is expected to last one to two days.
Prospective jurors were advised to call the Circuit Clerk’s office Sept. 21 at around 4 p.m. to determine if the case was going to proceed.
Some jurors, including those who have been sheltering in place, expressed anxiety about potential exposure to Covid-19 during the trial. Ferrier said the Circuit Court Judge Scott Jackson was taking precautions to make sure that jurors, court officers and anyone else present are protected.
“Judge Jackson wants to proceed with the trial in a proper manner and not have a big gathering, so he has his plan in place,” Ferrier said.