Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Police leave one crime scene for high speed chase, suspect still in hiding

Sometimes police are at the right place at the right time. In this case, Clark County deputies Robbie Plyler and Ray Wingfield were responding to a breaking and entering call at the residence at 1518 S Hwy 53, Gurdon.

According to a police report at the Clark County Sheriffs Office, the victim reported that someone had jimmied his door and stole from him a cell phone, french fries, TV dinners, four pot pies, two six-packs of cola and a table cloth  all totaled at $200. Police have one suspect, and the matter is still under investigation.

While at the crime scene, police noticed a green car traveling north on Highway 53 at a high speed. However, according to the report, pursuing the vehicle was not possible at that time because it would not have been possible or safe.

But as they left Eakins residence, Plyler again noticed the same vehicle  only this time it was traveling south at speeds approaching 100 miles per hour, according to the report.

Plyler got into his police car, turned around and attempted to catch up to the vehicle. He called ahead to Wingfield, who was south of him on Highway 53, to assist in the pursuit.

The report indicates that, as the pursuit continued southward, the driver became more and more reckless.

As Plyler passed Charles Ledbetter saw mill, he noticed a dust cloud where the green car had pulled into the mills parking lot, according to the report. An employee of the mill who was standing at his car flagged down Plyler and waved to where the car had gone.

Wingfield, who was behind Plyler, turned onto the property first, according to the report.

The report indicates that Plyler and Wingfield discovered the vehicle at the back of the mill, parked by some logs, and was unoccupied. At that time the deputies called the Gurdon K-9 unit and the on-duty sergeant of the Sheriffs office for assistance.

A report later came, according to the report, that a subject who was believed to be the suspect was seen walking around the junction of highways 51 and 53. As county and State Police Units attempted to locate the suspect, Plyler inventoried the vehicle to find a brown wallet, which contained $2 and an Arkansas drivers license. The identification belonged to Michael Terrell, a white male, 26, of 130 Hwy 299, Emmet.

The report indicates that, during the time of the pursuit, Gurdon Police Department received a phone call regarding a gas drive-off, and that the vehicle fit the description of the one being pursued.

After the on-duty sergeant called off the search for the suspect, Gurdon police showed identification of the suspect to a clerk working at the gas station. The clerk was able to identify the subject as the same person who drove off without paying for the gasoline, according to the report.

The keys to the vehicle were not present in the car, so police were not able to open the trunk, despite K-9 Sgt. Badge hitting on it twice.

After the car was towed, police were later able to get into the trunk, but found no drugs or contraband, according to another Clark County deputy. He said drugs may have been there once before, but not at the time of the pursuit.

The deputy also said the owner of the vehicle, of the same residence as Terrell, told police she did not know the suspect had taken her car.

If you have any information regarding Terrells whereabouts, police urge you to call 246-2222.