A White County man, 25-year-old Terry Michael White of Searcy, wanted on a parole violation and with a nation-wide extradition notice is facing 11 new charges following a high-speed chase originating in Marshall.
According to the probable cause affidavit, White was the driver of a pickup reported stolen in Searcy.
On the morning of April 19 as a Marshall Police Department officer was conducting an investigation at a business, he observed the driver of the truck having trouble navigating. The vehicle came almost to a complete stop by the officer, allowing him to see its passenger, later identified as 42-year-old Anthony Burns of Bald Knob, before accelerating away.
The police officer returned to his patrol unit in pursuit of the truck.
During the pursuit, the truck was observed crossing into the oncoming lane, almost striking a bluff running parallel to U.S. Highway 65 and traveling down a ditch line before returning to the roadway. The vehicle was also observed traveling in both lanes of traffic and being driven in a manner showing complete disregard for the safety of others during a pursuit reaching 90-100 miles per hour.
During the chase, the officer reported it appeared items were being tossed from the vehicle.
The vehicle eventually slowed and came to a stop halfway on the shoulder of the road about a half mile from the bottom of Silver Hill.
White exited the vehicle with both hands up without being instructed to do so. He said he was running because his passenger, Burns, was having a seizure, a statement the Bald Knob man would later deny.
As White was being handcuffed, the officer noticed a .22 caliber firearm magazine and a flashlight under him. White later said he must have tossed his semiautomatic handgun out the vehicle window during the pursuit.
White would allegedly later say Burns was not having a seizure but threatening him if he stopped the vehicle.
During a search of the vehicle, a substance field testing positive for methamphetamine was found, along with drug paraphernalia and a half empty gallon of whiskey. Burns was reportedly found in possession of meth concealed in his sock when booked into the Searcy County Detention Center.
The two are facing multiple felony-level drug related charges. White is facing 11 charges. In addition to the drug counts, he has been charged with felony theft by receiving and fleeing, as well as four misdemeanors and a traffic violation.
The report notes White also has a suspended driver’s license and is a parolee and absconder. He is wanted on numerous charges from White County and the Bradford Police Department, including drug offenses, aggravated assault, assault on a family or household member, fleeing and carrying certain prohibited weapon.
White’s bond on the new charges is $30,000. Burns’ bond was set at $15,000.
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