An Arkansas man was arrested Sunday after he collided with a sheriff's office vehicle and tried to flee the scene of the wreck in Newport, officials said.
Shortly after 9 p.m., Newport police Sgt. Shane Rogers was driving on Arkansas 367 in downtown Newport and tried to pull over a silver Dodge truck that had expired registration, according to a news release. The Dodge sped away from Rogers and crossed into Independence County, where police reportedly lost sight of it.
A few minutes later, an Arkansas State Police trooper saw the truck traveling back into town on the same highway and followed, officials said. The Dodge reached an intersection with State Street and collided with a Jackson County sheriff's office vehicle and a civilian's vehicle, according to the release. The deputy and two other victims were taken to a hospital, where they were treated for minor injuries.
The Dodge's driver, 25-year-old Joshua Allen Lane of Bald Knob, and a passenger tried to flee the scene but were stopped by law enforcement, the release said. The passenger was issued a ticket for fleeing on foot, police spokesman Patrick Weatherford said.
The man who fled and another passenger told police they asked Lane to let them out during the pursuit, but Lane refused.
Lane, who was on parole, was taken to the Jackson County jail. He will likely be charged with three counts of aggravated assault, two counts of second-degree false imprisonment, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, fleeing in a vehicle and second-degree criminal mischief, the release said.
His bond was set at $100,000 at a Monday morning court appearance, Weatherford said. His next court date is March 6.
