05/11/2011

HOWARD COUNTY DEPUTY PURSUES VEHICLE INTO HEMPSTEAD COUNTY

On May 11, 2011 at approximately 9:19 P.M. Deputy Steven Wakefield was patrolling on Mission Drive near Nashville when he met a white Ford car driving across the center line.  Deputy Wakefield turned around on the vehicle and attempted to stop the vehicle.  The driver of the vehicle would not stop for Deputy Wakefield.  A pursuit ensued on S.H. #369 and then south on S.H. #27 towards Mineral Springs.  Mineral Springs Officers attempted to stop the vehicle but were unable to do so.   The vehicle continued south on S.H. #355 and continued to drive in a reckless and dangerous manner with speeds nearing 100 mile per hour.   When the vehicle being pursued was near the Pope Lane south of Tollette the driver began throwing objects out of the passenger’s side window.  The vehicle continued to flee toward Saratoga and into Hempstead County heading toward Fulton.  Hempstead County Deputies and an Arkansas State Trooper were going to stop stick the suspect vehicle when it reached Fulton but the suspect vehicle wrecked out before reaching the Hempstead County officers.  The suspect vehicle was attempting to pass another vehicle but was meeting an 18 wheeler and when the driver swerved back into his lane he struck the vehicle he was attempting to pass.  This caused the suspect vehicle to go into the ditch and hit a culvert stopping the fleeing vehicle.  Officers arrested the driver and observed the passenger holding a small child.  There was another small child in a car seat in the back seat of the vehicle.  EMS was called to the scene to check out all of the occupants of the fleeing vehicle.  There were no injuries to anyone involved.  The two small children were released to family members.  Officers arrested the driver, James W. Applegate w/m dob-7/13/1988 and the passenger, Christa Mae Applegate w/f dob-4/03/1990.   The Applegate’s have a home address of 93 Bowen Rd. in Delight, AR.   James Applegate is being charged in the Howard County Circuit Court with Felony Fleeing and 2 Counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Minor.  His bond has been set at 25,000 dollars.  Christa Applegate has been released and no charges are expected to be filed against her.  Officers from Mineral Springs, Nashville P.D., Hempstead County Sheriff’s Office and the Arkansas State Police assisted the Howard County Sheriff’s Office in this pursuit.

 Sheriff Butch Morris