Amarillo Kidnapping Suspect to Face Federal Gun, Drug Charges

Rowdy Don Eastman is in some serious hot water.

The 35-year-old Amarillo man was arrested on December 22 following a chaotic string of events that began when police were dispatched to SW 8th and Bryan St in regards to a possible hostage situation.

According to a court documents filed with the Northern District of Texas Amarillo Division, Eastman was observed getting onto a vehicle with a woman. Officers then attempted a traffic stop based on the vehicle's expired registration and failure to stop.

Eastman elected to evade the stop and led officers on a short pursuit. He lost control of the 2000 Chrysler in the area of SW 5th and Crockett, colliding with a fire hydrant and fled on foot for several yards before officers apprehended him.

Officers were able to extricate the female from the Chrysler and secure medical attention for her, as she had begun to "hyperventilate from the extreme cold temperatures". Upon questioning by officers, it was shown that the female had not been a hostage of Eastman, but had been collecting her belongs with the understanding that the would be leaving afterwards.

Officers located a Ruger LC9S 9mm semi-auto on the floorboard of the driver's side of the Chrysler. The firearm was loaded with a magazine, containing 5 rounds.

Eastman was originally arrested on a charge of evading police. While officers conducted a vehicle inventory of the Chrysler, they discovered a silver tin on the floorboard that contained 9.32 gross grams of a suspected methamphetamine.

Officers also located a duffel bag in the trunk of the Chrysler. In a side pocket of the duffel bag, officers found a jewelry box containing 16.38 gross grams of suspected methamphetamine, a set of digital scales, and a pill bottle with the name Rowdy Don Eastman on the label.

In a subsequent interview, Eastman initially denied any ownership of the vehicle and any of the items found in it. He later admitted he had purchased the vehicle from a friend, who had left behind the firearm.

Eastman told police that he evaded the traffic stop because he "thought he had outstanding warrants and had been up for 4 days on methamphetamines".

According to Eastman, he was released from prison in September of 2022 and had begun selling methamphetamine again in early November, selling approximately 1 ounce per week.

Eastman appeared before a judge today, December 27, and faces federal charges of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon as well as possession with intent to distribute methamphetamines.