Local man arrested for felony fleeing after pursuit
A local man was arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges after allegedly fleeing from a routine traffic stop Sunday evening.
Quashawn Thomas McGowan, 18, who lists a Lily
Ruth Court address, was taken into custody shortly after 6:30 p.m. and charged with felony fleeing, punishable by up to six years in prison, and misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance, marijuana, and driving on a suspended driver’s license.
McGowan, who was also cited for three counts of failure to yield or stop, careless and prohibited driving, no liability insurance and improper turn at an intersection, was later released on $4,000 bond and is set to appear Dec. 11 in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly before 6:30 p.m., Hot Springs police Officer Jonathan Smith saw a black 2011 Dodge Charger eastbound in the 700 block of Spring Street and noted the license plate light was not functioning so he followed the car onto Locust Street where he activated his lights to make a traffic stop.
The driver, later identified as McGowan, continued on Locust and turned on Grand Avenue headed west as Smith activated his siren. At that point, McGowan allegedly accelerated to a high rate of speed, turning quickly onto Crescent Street where he failed to yield to
eastbound traffic.
He reportedly continued to Silver Street “driving at such a high rate of speed I could barely see the vehicle,” Smith said, and then turned onto Wade Street then Illinois Street then Clara Street to Cypress Street, running the stop sign at Cypress and Grand and crossing the eastbound and westbound lanes of Grand without stopping for traffic.
The car continued north onto Coy Street and then turned back onto Spring Street headed toward Central where “fearing for bystanders safety” Smith terminated the pursuit and advised the dispatcher of the car’s last direction of travel.
A short time later, police Officer Justin Bradbury and a National Park Service ranger stopped the vehicle in the 500 block of Spring Street and McGowan was taken into custody without further incident.
During a search, officers reportedly found $600 in McGowan’s pants pocket. Inside the vehicle, officers reportedly found 1.7 grams of marijuana in the center console, backpack containing another $773, two sets of digital scales, a black ski mask and keys for another vehicle.