GENTRY -- Police in Gentry initiated a high-speed chase just after midnight on Nov. 4 when a Toyota Corolla, northbound on Arkansas Highway 59, was spotted driving at a high rate of speed and passing vehicles in the center turn lane. The chase continued through Decatur and Maysville before finally ending in an Oklahoma Lake.
According to Gentry Police, Colton Neal, 22, was the driver of the northbound Toyota and, when Gentry officer Jason List attempted to stop Neal, he led List and officer Kyle Thomas north toward Decatur at speeds between 85 and 110 mph. In Decatur, Neal allegedly drove through parking lots and side streets before crossing the viaduct over the railroad and leading Decatur officer Joe Savage and the two Gentry officers west on Arkansas 102, north on Arkansas 43, through Maysville and on into Oklahoma, to Jay, on Oklahoma Highway 20.
In Oklahoma, officers from the Jay Police Department and the Delaware County Sheriff's Office joined in the pursuit which was led by Savage at that time. Neal led them north toward Grove, Okla., but turned around at a road block on the south side of Grove and headed back south. Savage was unable to avoid the spike strips deployed by Grove police and was taken out of the pursuit because of tire damage on his new patrol car.
According to police, Neal continued south on U.S. 59 and Oklahoma 10 and through Jay at a high rate of speed. Just before the bridge at Lake Eucha, Neal allegedly turned off on a side road through the park there and intentionally drove into the lake, possibly in an attempt to swim away and not be caught; but Jay police chief Mike Shambaugh and Kyle Thomas were able to grab Neal and place him under arrest. He was transported to the Delaware County Jail to face Oklahoma charges.
Neal, as it turns out, was an absconder from parole in Arkansas and was driving a car reported stolen out of Stilwell, Okla. He also is alleged to have stolen a car in Fayetteville and led police in a high speed chase there, a chase in which he managed to elude police. On Friday, the police had not yet located the other stolen car driven by Neal in the Fayetteville chase.
According to police, Neal admitted to having used methamphetamines prior to the chase.
Neal faces reckless driving and felony fleeing charges in Gentry, according to police, in addition to charges in Decatur, Fayetteville and Oklahoma.
General News on 11/11/2015