Gurdon man arrested after allegedly fleeing from police, hitting stop sign
A Gurdon man was arrested late Tuesday after allegedly fleeing from a traffic stop by Hot Springs police, hitting a stop sign and ending up in the front yard of a residence.
Gavin Lee Deaton, 23, was taken into custody shortly after 10 p.m. and charged with a felony count of fleeing in a vehicle with a substantial danger of death or serious injury, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and misdemeanor counts of fleeing on foot and careless and prohibited driving.
Deaton, who was also cited for 10 counts of failure to stop or yield, was later released on a $4,000 bond and is set to appear Jan. 19 in Garland County District Court.
According to court records, he was convicted on March 3, 2022, in Clark County of possession of meth with purpose to deliver and possession of cocaine with purpose to deliver and sentenced to one year in prison and seven years’ probation.
According to the probable cause affidavit on Tuesday’s arrest, shortly after 9:30 p.m., HSPD Officer Cristian Rios attempted to make a traffic stop on a maroon 2004 Ford F-150 pickup truck at the intersection of Crestwood and Third streets.
The driver of the vehicle never came to a stop despite passing “numerous welllit safe areas.” Throughout the ensu- ing pursuit, which continued through residential neighborhoods, the truck allegedly drove over the posted speed limit, disregarded all posted signs, drove left of center and made unsafe turns, the affidavit notes.
The pursuit came to an end at the intersection of Woodlawn and Main streets after the truck struck a stop sign and came to rest in a yard of a residence in the 800 block of Woodlawn.
At that point, the white male driver, who was shirtless and wearing black pants, fled on foot on Woodlawn and then went south on Michael Street.
While responding to the area, Officer James Yerina located a male, later identified as Deaton, who matched the description and was leaning against a utility pole at the intersection of Woodlawn and McKay Street.
Officers took Deaton into custody without further incident and transported him to the detention center.