HOT SPRINGS — An armed felon with drugs in his possession who was arrested early last year after fleeing from Garland County sheriff’s deputies on a motorcycle and wrecking was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Wesley Waide Hughes, 33, of Pearcy, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Garland County Circuit Court to possession of a firearm by certain persons. He also pleaded guilty to possession of hydrocodone with purpose to deliver and was sentenced to 10 years, with the sentences to run concurrently.
Additional charges of simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, possession of Xanax and marijuana with purpose to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia and felony failure to appear were withdrawn Tuesday, and court costs and fines were expunged for time served.
According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly after 1 p.m. on Jan. 13, 2020, sheriff’s office Cpl. Felix Hunter attempted to check on a man, later identified as Hughes, who had pulled over on the side of the road in the 4500 block of Albert Pike on a black 1999 Honda Shadow motorcycle.
As Hunter pulled up behind the motorcycle, Hughes looked back, saw him and sped away eastbound. Sgt. Bill House was on the side of the road in the 4300 block of Albert Pike and saw Hughes go by, passing several vehicles on a double yellow line near Jetson Loop, so he pursued Hughes toward town.
House noted that Hughes passed several more vehicles, including an 18-wheeler on hills and curves, and then turned onto West Pine Road. He crashed going around a curve at West Pine and Hunter Drive, and slammed into a mailbox. Hughes fled on foot behind the residence but House was able to take him into custody.