Decatur man eludes police, later arrested

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

— Michael Wayne Watson, 29, of Decatur, was arrested in Twin Oaks, Okla. on Feb. 9 after leading Decatur police on a chase earlier in the week.

The Decatur, Gentry and Gravette Police Departments, as well as the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, searched for Watson in Decatur on Feb. 7, after he fled from police, first in a vehicle and then on foot, Decatur Police Chief Terry Luker said.

The Decatur police department had been looking for Watson because he was wanted on burglary charges in Westville, Okla., as well asparole violations and misdemeanor warrants in Benton County for failure to appear in court, according to Luker. Watson was also suspected of several other burglaries in Oklahoma and Benton County, Luker said.

Luker said the pursuit began when he saw Watson about 10:20 a.m., Feb. 7, in the Decatur State Bank parking lot. When Watson spotted Luker, he fled in his vehicle, taking Arkansas Highway 59 north towards Crystal Lake.

Watson turned down Crystal Lake Road and when he reached the road’s dead end, he jumped out of his car andfled on foot across the Crystal Lake Airport.

Luker chased Watson on foot to the southeast end of the lake, near Arkansas Highway 102, where he disappeared. Officers from the Gentry and Gravette police departments and the Benton County Sheriff’s Office also assisted in the search for Watson but he was not found, Luker said.

Watson was arrested two days later in Twin Oaks, in Cherokee County, Okla. He is being held in the Adair County Jail, in Stillwell Okla., Luker said. His charges include burglary in the second degree and receiving and possessing a stolen vehicle.

The employee answering the telephone at the Adair County Jail said he could not confirm if Watson was being held by his agency or what Watson’s charges might be, saying an investigation is ongoing.

News, Pages 1 on 02/15/2012