Edward Ross Corristan Jr. arrested and charged by Mena police
Edward Ross Corristan Jr. was charged and fined in Mena after an officer pepper-sprayed him during a March dispute. The incident occurred outside the Mena Police Department when he attempted to file a missing persons report for his child.
Court records show Corristan was charged with interference with a law enforcement officer and disorderly conduct. A judge assessed him a $1,390 fine, with $500 of it suspended. The judge also suspended a 10-day jail term.
Corristan said the judge was empathetic to his plight. Corristan said his mother recorded video of the March exchange. He explained in an interview that the encounter stemmed from an ongoing custody dispute.
The video shows Corristan repeatedly asking Mena Sgt. Eddie Price to file the report. Price refuses each time. He then walks to his patrol car.
Corristan had argued with Price for several minutes in front of the police department, video shows. Statements from Mena police indicate confusion between Corristan and the department.
Corristan then approaches the patrol car and continues to insist that Price take the report. Price is heard on video telling Corristan to get back. Corristan raises his arms while standing more than an arm’s length away.
Price then exits the car and pepper-sprays Corristan. Price takes him to the ground and handcuffs him. Other officers assisted at the scene. They were seen helping Corristan into an ambulance.
Corristan filed a paternity suit in 2023, according to court records. The suit also asked for custody and visitation. The filing states Corristan is the father of the child.
The suit states the mother refused to put his name on the birth certificate. She then stopped communicating with him. The mother never appeared in court, despite being served a summons.
A judge awarded Corristan custody in March 2026. The order directs law enforcement to assist Corristan. That directive includes the Mena police and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
A second order said the mother is to be taken into custody. Corristan said the 2-year-old child was last seen at a Mena Walmart in November 2025.
A Mena police spokesperson said a missing persons report had been filed for the child. It was entered into Arkansas and National Crime Information Center databases within days of the custody order. The Arkansas Crime Information Center lists the child on its “Never Forgotten” missing persons website.
An investigation revealed the child was no longer in Mena’s jurisdiction, a spokesperson said. The department then turned the matter over to the FBI. Corristan said he believed Mena police took no action and refused to file a report.
Mena Police Chief Tommy Stueart issued a statement on Tuesday regarding the arrest.
Corristan had multiple encounters with the Mena Police Department with visitation and custody issues. Corristan was advised the proper procedure and protocol to get law enforcement assistance. Once the court order was verified with Polk County Circuit Court, a case was opened, the child was entered as missing, and the investigation started. When law enforcement officers learned that the mother and child were no longer in our jurisdiction, FBI assumed the case. The arrest incident was reviewed internally and determined no policy violations occurred. Out of abundance of caution, prosecuting attorney Debra Buschman requested the Arkansas State Police to review the arrest. I’m still awaiting the outcome of the request.
Prosecuting attorney Debra Buschman requested the review by state police. Internal police reviews examine whether officers followed agency standards during an arrest. Outside state agencies often review use-of-force incidents at the request of local prosecutors.
This story will be updated as more details become available.
