DECATUR — Decatur police officers had their hands full April 10 after a short car chase ended with the driver fleeing into a wooded area near Decatur Branch Creek in the northwestern Decatur.
At around 8:45 p.m., Decatur police received a phone calls from an unknown caller complaining about a white Jeep speeding through the neighborhood on Ivan Street. Officer Randy Deason was dispatched to the location and set up a radar checkpoint on the corner of Ivan and Falling Springs Road. Deason noticed a vehicle matching the description exceeding the speed limit on Ivan. He clocked the vehicle on radar at 45 MPH in a 25 MPH zone.
The 2006 white Jeep Liberty, thought to have been driven by Jason Michael James, 42, (address unknown), made a quick u-turn and continued north on Ivan Street at high speed. Deason followed the vehicle down the dead-end street; but, due to high amounts of dust being kicked up by the Jeep, Deason was forced to slow his pursuit. When Deason reached the end of Ivan, he found that the driver had abandoned his vehicle and fled on foot into the wooded area at the end of the street.
Units from the Benton County Sheriff's Office, Gravette and Gentry were called in to set up a perimeter and search for the driver. K-9 units from Benton County Sheriff's Office joined in the search but James was not found.
Decatur police determined that James likely fled from police because of outstanding warrants from another agency.
Once apprehend, James faces charges in connection to fleeing, careless driving and speeding, all misdemeanors.
Decatur police are asking for the public's help in locating James and ask anyone with information on his whereabouts to contact the Decatur Police Department at 479-752-3911.
General News on 04/19/2017