FORT SMITH -- A Bonanza man was arrested in Sebastian County on Sunday night following a police pursuit that involved him and another person who has yet to be located.
Ron Peerson, 49, was arrested by the Sebastian County sheriff's office on suspicion of fleeing by vehicle, fleeing on foot and reckless driving, according to a news release Monday from sheriff's office Capt. Philip Pevehouse. Peerson was also booked at the Sebastian County jail on suspicion of furnishing a prohibited article and felony possession of drug paraphernalia. A parole violation was placed on him as well.
Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers chased a vehicle with two people inside about 8:30 p.m. Sunday, according to Pevehouse. The pursuit came off of Interstate 540 into Arkansas at about the intersection of U.S. 271 and Arkansas 253. A Sebastian County sheriff's office deputy who was on patrol in the area saw the pursuit pass in front of him.
Pevehouse said the pursuit went through the Brooken Hill area and onto U.S. 71 South in Fort Smith. The sheriff's office stopped the pursuit as the vehicle was circling an apartment complex in the 3400 block of Duke Avenue. Soon afterward, however, the deputy saw the pickup stopped in the complex and one person was seen running away from it. The deputy pursued the man, Peerson, on foot and was able to place him under arrest.
The whereabouts of the second suspect in the vehicle were not determined, Pevehouse said. Units from other local agencies responded to the area, but after searching the suspect was not found.
Pevehouse identified Peerson as the driver of the vehicle. Upon his arrest, Peerson reportedly told deputies he "did not really know" the other suspect.
NW News on 01/28/2020