An area man has been arrested after trying to flee from a deputy on a four wheeler. Forty-seven-year-old Benjamin Thomas Cornelius of St. Joe is facing four charges for the incident.
According to Searcy County Sheriff Kenny Cassell, while a deputy was on routine patrol Wednesday evening, he observed a man, later identified as Cornelius, riding a four-wheeler on Arknasas State Highway 374. The deputy activated his emergency lights, at which time Cornelius looked back at the patrol unit and then accelerated, turned off the highway and cut through a yard.
Cornelius sped pass a female who was standing in the yard and also tossed something unknown near the residence. Shortly thereafter, the four-wheeler came to a sudden stop when the front tires struck a hill in another yard and Cornelius was taken into custody.
During the investigation, methamphetamine was found on Cornelius.
Cornelius is charged with felony fleeing, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and tampering with physical evidence. He is also facing a penalty enhancement for being a habitual offender meaning he has four or more felony convictions. He also had a hold placed on him for violating the terms of his parole.
Court records indicate Cornelius has eight felony arrests dating back to 2002 in Marion, Newton and Boone counties. His last four arrests were in Boone County. They led to a negotiated guilty plea where the cases were combined. He served 214 days of a six year sentence in the Arkansas Department of Corrections.
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