The chase began around 6:30 … A readout of Ellis’ speedometer on his dashcam indicated he was moving at 109 miles per hour as he and Battenfield’s vehicles flipped over. "PIT has been used by the Arkansas State Police for no less than the past 18-20 years and continues to be used by state troopers, particularly if innocent lives are being threatened, as was the case involving the Fort Smith incident," spokesman Bill Sadler said. Arkansas State Police cruiser launched after crashing with a fleeing suspect vehicle. COMMENTS - It looks like you're using Internet Explorer, which isn't compatible with the Democrat-Gazette commenting system. when Trooper Michael Shawn Ellis gave chase to the suspect, Justin Battenfield.
White Drive and West Main Street, and Clopton ripped open a large bag of crystal meth out of his window. State Police Fatal Crash Summaries Search intial fatal crash summary reports by an investigating law enforcement officer. Viewer discretion is advised. The AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing. Data suggests there's been a 18% increase in speeding violations.
That investigation is still ongoing; however, the department issued a statement to KFSM News this week generally defending the use of the PIT (pursuit intervention technique) maneuver, where an officer purposefully spins out a fleeing suspect by ramming one of the car's rear fenders. The Arkansas State Police on Saturday night arrested 22-year-old Malik Mekile Watson of Little Rock on two felony and four misdemeanor charges, including fleeing, drug possession with purpose to deliver and reckless driving.
It's why law enforcement agencies of all sizes and jurisdictions maintain guidelines for pursuing suspects—and why a deadly PIT maneuver that capped off a chase in Arkansas earlier this month is now drawing attention. Battenfield died in the crash. According to police, the vehicle spun out at T.P. “As soon as there’s an opening on the highway, get him stopped,” said one supervisor over police radio, as the crash occurred. Tequilla Rochaun Robinson refused to stop when police attempted a traffic stop, but she was later stopped at Interstate 530 and Dixon Road, where she was taken into custody without incident, the report said. Few things are easier to examine with the benefit of hindsight than a police chase, where potentially dangerous decisions must be made in the blink of an eye by responding officers. An Arkansas State Police trooper’s cruiser was launched into the air after chasing down and pitting a fleeing pickup truck. The video was reported last month by the local ABC News affiliate KHBS. He remained in the Pulaski County jail as of Sunday evening. Another officer responding to the supervisor’s call to stop the truck, noticed the crash and said “okay, we’ve got him stopped and then go ahead and start EMS,” referring to a call for an ambulance. "Ok he's got him stopped and... go ahead and start EMS," the follow-up trooper radios in at the end. In an instant, Battenfield’s pickup truck went from being a fleeing vehicle to a launch ramp for the police cruiser.
"I don't care if he's brake-checking you. Ellis was hospitalized and later released. Police saw an orange pickup that was unable to maintain its lane, and they attempted to stop the vehicle in the 1200 block of West Main Street when the driver fled west, according to an arrest report, which described the vehicle as traveling in excess of the speed limit and crossing into lanes with oncoming traffic.
The video, including dashcam footage from the police cruiser and other police vehicles in pursuit, shows the cruiser attempting a pursuit intervention technique (PIT) maneuver in an effort to push out the truck’s back wheels and push it into a nearby ditch during a high-speed chase.