LR teen arrested after high-speed pursuit through two counties
A Little Rock teen was arrested early Sunday on a felony fleeing charge after allegedly leading law enforcement on a high-speed pursuit through parts of Garland and Saline counties before being apprehended on Interstate 30.
Terrance Lamont McGhee II, 19, was taken into custody shortly before 2:30 a.m. and charged with fleeing in a vehicle, punishable by up to six years in prison, and multiple traffic violations.
McGhee, who lists no prior criminal history, remained in custody Monday in lieu of a $2,500 bond and was set to appear later that day in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly before 2 a.m. Sunday, Garland County sheriff’s Sgt. Clayton Green was patrolling westbound on Highway 70 east near the rest area when he met an eastbound vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed. After confirming on radar the car was going 78 mph in a 60 mph zone, he turned around to stop it.
He activated his lights to make a traffic stop, but the driver of the vehicle “accelerated even faster.” Green activated his siren and told dispatchers the car wasn’t stopping and paced the car going over 100 mph as it continued east.
The driver of the car turned off its headlights and continued fleeing, traveling left of center and down the turn lane and into the oncoming lanes to get past vehicles ahead of him, even while negotiating several curves.
The driver continued to drive without headlights, occasionally turning them on for a few seconds before turning them off again. As the car entered the “straight stretch” near Highway 128, it was continuing at speeds above 100 mph, and then ran the red light at the intersection with Highway 128 despite a vehicle that had the green light attempting to turn left.
Dispatchers alerted Saline County sheriff’s deputies, who joined the pursuit on Highway 70 near Interstate 30. The car got on the interstate headed east toward Benton, “changing lanes numerous times” and continuing to drive with the headlights off as Benton and Bryant police officers also joined the chase.
The car took Exit 124 but then got back on the interstate. At that point, a Bryant police officer deployed spike strips, which deflated the driver’s side front and rear tires. The driver, later identified as McGhee, pulled over to the center wall and finally stopped.
McGhee and a male passenger, 18, were both detained. In searching the car, a 2020 Mitsubishi Mirage, officers reportedly found a Glock magazine loaded with eight .40-caliber rounds and a small baggie of suspected marijuana.
The passenger was later released at the scene and McGhee was taken into custody on the felony charge and eight traffic violations, the affidavit said.