Council member Meyer arrested on felony assault, criminal mischief charges

Eureka Springs City Council member Harry Meyer was arrested last week on felony charges connected to a dispute with a neighbor and a separate incident at Lake Leatherwood City Park.

Meyer, 76, was arrested Friday, March 13, on charges of aggravated assault and first-degree criminal mischief, according to records from the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office. Meyer was later released on a citation and is scheduled to appear in Carroll County Circuit Court on April 6.

The aggravated assault charge stems from a July 13, 2025, incident involving Meyer and his neighbor, Ruth Virginia Seymour, who lives across the street from him on Cross Street.

The case drew public attention last year when Seymour told the Eureka Springs City Council that Meyer had struck her with a vehicle during a neighborhood dispute. The matter was later referred to a special prosecutor to determine whether criminal charges should be filed.

According to an arrest affidavit filed by Arkansas State Police special agent Jana Cordes, Seymour told investigators Meyer backed his pickup truck toward her while she was standing behind the vehicle, knocking her to the ground.

Seymour placed her hands on the truck bed in an attempt to avoid being struck, but Meyer continued reversing, causing her to fall onto her back, head, neck and shoulders, investigators said. Seymour suffered scratches, contusions and neck pain and was evaluated at Eureka Springs Hospital.

Jim Marple, Meyer’s next-door neighbor who was speaking with Seymour on the phone at the time, reportedly called 911 after hearing the incident occur.

A witness who was present in the driveway told investigators she saw Seymour standing behind the truck while Meyer attempted to back out. The witness said the truck bumped Seymour, causing her to fall.

Investigators also reviewed photographs of the scene and partial video from a Ring camera that captured part of the encounter.

Meyer acknowledged backing the truck while Seymour was behind it but told investigators she fell as she stepped backward. He denied intending to harm her.

Authorities said the statements of witnesses, physical evidence and Meyer’s admission that he backed the vehicle were used to establish probable cause for the aggravated assault charge.

The criminal mischief charge stems from a separate incident on May 5, 2025, at Lake Leatherwood City Park.

Investigators say Nicholas Anthony Castro of Bella Vista was assisting with an event under a vendor agreement with Eureka Springs Parks and Recreation when Meyer confronted him about loud music being played from speakers connected to Castro’s van.

Castro told investigators Meyer climbed onto the van, unplugged the speakers and damaged the vehicle’s rear doors, which became misaligned and difficult to close. Castro later obtained a repair estimate of $1,170.29.

Witnesses told investigators Meyer yelled about the music and mentioned his position as a city council member during the confrontation. One witness recorded video of the incident.

Meyer admitted unplugging the speakers but denied causing damage to the van or equipment. He told investigators he believed the music violated the city’s noise ordinance and drove to the park to address the issue.

Authorities said the estimated damage exceeded $1,000, qualifying the offense as felony criminal mischief under Arkansas law.

Carroll County Circuit Judge Scott Jackson signed a warrant March 11 for Meyer’s arrest. Court records show Meyer was released on citation with the condition that he have no contact with Seymour while the case is pending.

The next regular meeting of the Eureka Springs City Council is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, March 23. After Seymour and Marple spoke at the council’s meeting on July 14, 2025, with Seymour detailing the allegations that Meyer struck her with his truck and both neighbors describing a pattern of alleged harassment by Meyer, council member David Avanzino requested Meyer’s resignation at the council meeting on Aug. 11, 2025.

In addition to the allegations from Meyer’s neighbors, Avanzino cited Meyer’s multiple reports to the city code enforcement officer of alleged violations by Marple, as well as the Lake Leatherwood incident and an incident in November 2024 when Meyer shot his dog in his front yard — using a bullet borrowed from the city’s animal control officer — as Seymour watched.

Meyer told the Times-Echo that the dog was sick with cancer and that he euthanized it to end its suffering. The incident was investigated by Eureka Springs police, and Meyer was not charged with discharging a firearm inside city limits.

At the August 2025 meeting, Avanzino said Meyer had violated the council’s code of conduct.

“If anybody knows me and my dogs, and how much I care about my dogs, and how my dog was suffering that day, the last thing that came to my mind was discharging a little .22 rifle on a Sunday as being illegal,” Meyer said. “Now, you can condemn me, you think that perhaps that was wrong, but you weren’t there, you did not see it. You don’t know, and you don’t know my side of any of those stories, but you’re sitting there condemning me.

“Any citizen can call the building inspector if they see a violation of code. I was not using my leverage, nor did the building inspector think so. You can ask him. That’s all I got to say.”

At the July 14, 2025, meeting when Seymour and Marple spoke to the city council, Meyer responded during his council member comments near the conclusion of the meeting.

“I’ve been accused of a lot of stuff tonight by my neighbors,” he said. “I can tell y’all this, and this is all I’m going to say about it, is that it all stems with the fact that they don’t understand where property lines end. If their property comes within 10 feet of the pavement, that is a city easement. And they’ve built a house within five or six feet of the pavement of the property line to the city.

“If my dog walked over there or on theirs, he would yell at me. ... And I’ve had enough. And now they’ve got over an acre of ground and they pile all their materials out on the city easement, on the street, even where I parked my truck.

“Now they pile those piles there by where my truck was, simply to keep me from parking my truck there once in a while. I have to bring my truck out from below while my drive is not blocked — one of my renters parks there. And then I park it up there. And I did that. And then the craziness ensued. And that’s all I’ve got to say. Harassment, I think, is — I’ve been harassed. It’s not the other way around….”