A man who turned what should have been a minor traffic stop into a wild high-speed chase during which he tried to ram the vehicles of pursuing sheriff’s deputies appeared in Baxter County Circuit Court recently.
Several of the charges against 29-year-old Justin Spires of Mountain Home were dropped and he pled guilty to the remainder, including felony fleeing and several traffic infractions.
He was sentenced to four years-probation under the provisions of Act 346. The act, commonly known as the First Offender’s Law, means that if a person stays out of trouble during probation, he can apply to have his records sealed.
The traffic stop was initiated because Spires was allegedly driving a vehicle with a personalized license plate that did not check back to the vehicle on which it was displayed.
The plate “number” was reported to be LOCKOM. Records indicated the plate should have been on a 1995 silver Ford Windstar minivan, but on the day of the chase it was displayed on a blue 2011 Hyundai Elantra.
In addition, Spires’ vehicle was reported to be making a very loud noise.
The deputy initiated a lights-and-siren traffic stop, but when he saw the blue lights behind him, Spires hit the gas instead of the brake.
Speeds during the lengthy chase were reported to have reached 90-100 miles per hour, according to the probable cause affidavit. The path went along Highway 5 South, through the parking lot of the Kingwood Mobile Home Park, into Norfork and then into Izard County.
About three miles after entering Izard County, the vehicle turned around in the driveway of an old shop and headed back toward Baxter County.
During the chase, Spires almost collided with other vehicles, and was reported to be “driving all over the road” with little regard for other traffic.
According to the probable cause affidavit, a spike strip was laid by deputies that Spires apparently managed to evade by driving off the road.
A second spike strip was laid by an Arkansas State Police trooper in the 5000 block of State Highway 5 South and Spires drove over it at approximately 70 miles per hour. His vehicle ran off the road and traveled some distance before hitting a tree and coming to a stop.
Spires’ passenger was listed as 21-year-old Colton Smith. Spires was taken into custody and transported to the Baxter County Detention Center.
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