Man involved in 2018 police chase pleads guilty to felony fleeing
A local man who led Hot Springs police on a vehicle chase through multiple city streets before wrecking into the woods last summer pleaded guilty Tuesday in Garland County Circuit Court to a felony charge of fleeing.
Taevon Alexander Gordon, 21, of Hot Springs, also pleaded guilty to a felony count of failure to appear and was sentenced to six years’ probation on each count, to run concurrently, fined $1,500 and ordered to pay $590 in court costs.
His alleged passenger, Gerrard Richard Wells, 20, who fled on foot after the wreck, was arrested and charged with misdemeanor fleeing and a felony count of possession of marijuana with purpose to deliver, punishable by up to six years in prison, after drugs were reportedly found in his possession.
Wells is set to appear Aug. 6 in circuit court for an omnibus hearing to determine if any statements he made to police will be admissible in court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on July 29, shortly after noon, HSPD Cpl. Allen Constant was on patrol in the area of Broadway Terrace when he heard what sounded like a car wreck somewhere in the 300 block of Malvern Avenue. While making his way to the area, he saw a silver Cadillac CTS leaving the scene.
He said he attempted a traffic stop but the driver of the vehicle, later identified as Gordon, refused to stop and a pursuit ensued. Gordon traveled the wrong way down a one-way street, completely disregarded several stop signs and other motorists while driving too fast for the wet, rainy conditions “with no regard for human life and property.”
The chase extended over several residential city blocks before coming to an abrupt end on McCafferty Street after Gordon wrecked into a wooded area. He stayed by the car and was taken into custody without incident.
Wells allegedly fled on foot toward Wood Street and Hobson Avenue. Officer Jason Greene backed his vehicle into a driveway on Hobson Avenue inside the perimeter set by police and saw Wells running toward his location.
Greene ran toward Wells and reportedly saw him hunch over and begin to pull an unknown object from his waistband area. Greene ordered Wells to show his hands out of fear he was attempting to pull a weapon from his waistband.
When Wells removed his hand from his pants, Greene reportedly observed he was holding a
glass container. Wells allegedly threw the container into another yard and attempted to jump a fence where he was taken into custody. Officers allegedly found numerous individually packaged bags of marijuana in the container, weighing about 21.5 grams total.
Gordon was released the next day on $1,500 bond while Wells was released on Oct. 1 on $10,000 bond. Gordon pleaded not guilty to the fleeing charge in circuit court on Dec. 4 and was set for a disposition hearing on April 9. He failed to appear and a warrant was issued and he was arrested again on May 28 and remained in custody until Tuesday.