For the second time in less than 30 days, area law enforcement officers have found themselves engaged in a high-speed pursuit of a parolee covering a large part of the county. The most recent pursuit Tuesday afternoon involved 36-year-old Christopher Croteau of Mountain Home.Tuesday’s pursuit ended when Baxter County Sheriff’s Lieutenant Rick Lucy utilized his patrol unit in a PIT maneuver. The PIT maneuver, or Pursuit Intervention Technique, is a controlled maneuver utilizing a pursuing car to strike the rear of a fleeing car causing it to abruptly turn sideways and the driver to lose control and stop.Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery says officers from his department, Arkansas State Police, and the 14th Judicial Drug Task Force joined Mountain Home Police Department officers in the pursuit covering areas inside the city, as well as outside the city limits.
Sheriff Montgomery says the timing and location allowed him and department pilot Benny Magness to engage the county helicopter in the pursuit, providing a clear line of communication directing patrol units on the ground in pursuit of the fleeing vehicle.
Montgomery says when Croteau attempted to re-enter Mountain Home, Arkansas State Police Trooper Nathan Litty and Lieutenant Lucy were able to use their patrol units to force Croteau onto the Sheid-Hopper Bypass. The chase then continued east and out Robinson Point Road. It was in this area it was determined the pursuit had to end, and Lieutenant Lucy used his patrol unit in the controlled PIT maneuver, rear-ending the fleeing vehicle and bringing it to a stop. The suspect then fled on foot for a short distance before being captured.
Montgomery says Lucy was not injured, and his patrol unit sustained minor damage.
Croteau is being held in the Baxter County Detention Center. Information from the Sheriff’s Office website indicates he is being held on nonpayment of child support charges, with other charges pending. Bond has been set at $4,000.
Mountain Home Police Chief Carry Manuel says the chase was initiated when investigators working on an investigation of criminal activity tried to stop the vehicle driven by Croteau.
The Administrative Office of the Courts CourtConnect website indicates Croteau has a lengthy criminal history, beginning in 1999 when he was 18 years old.
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