Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Marshal chases driver to porch

A high speed car chase, from Hot Spring County to Gurdon, ended with the local marshal apprehending a 21-year-old Okolona man who is accused of attempting to run over a deputy.

Eddie Fort Jr., 21, of Okolona, was caught by Gurdon City Marshal David Childres, and other Gurdon police officers, while Fort was on a Magnolia Street porch.

Childres said a Hot Spring County Sheriffs Department deputy tried to make a traffic stop involving Fort, but the Okolona man sped from the scene, allegedly attempting to run over the deputy.

The deputy fired a shot into Forts car and the chase began. Childres said the back window had been shot out of the car driven by Fort.

Childres said Fort was alone when he drove 90 mph into Gurdon at approximately 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 20.

"Another subject from Arkadelphia was with Fort when he refused to yield to the attempted traffic stop by the deputy in Hot Spring County," Childres said. "It is my understanding the one who ran was later arrested by the state police."

Childres said Fort came into Gurdon on Highway 67 from Arkadelphia with various law enforcement officers in pursuit.

He said police vehicles involved in the chase came from Gurdon, Arkadelphia, Clark County, the Arkansas State Police and Hot Spring County.

Childres said the incident, as far as a Gurdon account, started when the Gurdon Police Department received radio information that a vehicle was being chased toward Gurdon at a high rate of speed.

According to Childres, the radio message also informed him that the white Chevrolet Malibu Fort was driving was from Gurdon.

"Then they mentioned about Fort trying to run over a Hot Springs County deputy and that the deputy had retaliated by shooting out the back window of the car Fort was driving," Childres said.

"We set up at Caney Bridge so we could spike the tires when the car came by. When the vehicle came around the curve, coming from I.P., Fort turned onto Rutherford Road. There was an Arkadelphia police car chasing him.

"I went over to Greenville Road and when I got into the chase from there we went from Greenville Road to Smithton Road. Then we went south, which Smithton Road turns into 10th Street at the cemetery.

We kept going south on 10th Street, which is where speeds reached 90 mph. The Malibu jumped Main Street, continued down 10th and then turned right on Clark Street.

Then Fort jumped Highway 53, went up Clark and turned onto Miller. He hit Fifth Street, went to South Street, and continued west on South until he hit Third Street.

"He turned and went north on Third, where Fort dodged a car, spun out and went between two buildings at the old Gurdon High School."

Childres said Fort proceeded to run the car into the school building. "After that, he jumped out of the car, ran back to Third Street and went down Magnolia on foot," Childres said.

"We caught up with him on a Magnolia Street porch and placed our subject under arrest."

Childres said the car Fort drove was a white Malibu owned by Andy Bell of Gurdon.

Bell told Gurdon police officers Fort took possession of the car at Caddo Valley without permission.

Childres said he and his officers took Fort to the Clark County Jail, where he will face felony charges in connection with the allegation he tried to run over a deputy in Hot Spring County and for fleeing.

"Fort could have several felony charges on him from the two counties involved," Childres said.