Report:
On Friday, February 21, 2025, at approximately 10:44 P.M., I was called to assist Atkins Police Department on pursuit near
East Main Street in Atkins, AR. I moved to the area of East Main from State Highway 105 north. There were two (2) Atkins
Police officers that were pursuing the suspect on State Highway 105 south. While monitoring the officer's radio traffic, the
suspect was driving in a reckless manner, burning/throwing fire debris out the window, and assaulting the officers by using his
vehicle as a weapon. The suspect stopped in the roadway on State Highway 105 south and intentionally backed up and
rammed the Atkins police car. After the first Atkins police car was impacted, it was knocked into the secondary Atkins police
car that was trailing. The officers continued pursuing the suspect as he continued driving in a reckless manner, traveling in
residential yards, and intentionally circling back on State Highway 105 south to ram the Atkins Police cars.
I approached the pursuit on State Highway 105 south and notice the pursuit coming northbound on State Highway 105. I
turned around at the intersection of 6th Street and blocked the roadway. The suspect saw my blue lights, immediately turned
around, and traveled southbound on State Highway 105. I immediately turned around and traveled south on State Highway
105. The suspect turned around again, traveled northbound on State Highway 105 in a reckless manner and intentionally
struck the left side of my patrol car. After impact, my patrol car became disabled and the suspect's vehicle became disabled on
the west side of the roadway.
I turned around in the roadway and the suspect barricaded himself inside the truck. He attempted to set himself on fire inside
the cab and was spraying accelerates inside and outside the window. At one point, he caused a firebomb explosion out the
driver's side window. After several cover units arrived, officers were able to approach the suspect's vehicle. Cpl. Steven
Payton used his bean bag gun to bust out the window and the suspect was taken into custody.
The suspect was taken to Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center for an evaluation. Thereafter, he was transported to Pope
County Detention Center for processing.
The suspect was charged with three (3) counts of Aggravated Assault, Felony Fleeing, Reckless Burning, Refusal to Submit to Arrest, Criminal Mischief 2nd degree, Possession of a Controlled Substance
(Misdemeanor), and Unsafe Vehicle