Malvern man arrested after allegedly fleeing police on Tuesday

A Malvern man suspected of driving drunk was arrested Tuesday night after he allegedly fled from Hot Springs police and led them on a brief high-speed chase before eventually stopping.

Jeremy Dale James, 43, was taken into custody shortly before 7 p.m. and charged with fleeing in a vehicle, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, as well as careless driving and prohibited driving and possession of an open container of alcohol in a vehicle .

James, who was also charged with no proof of insurance, improper lane changing and failing to yield to an emergency vehicle, was later released on $4,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in Garland County District Court on June 21.

According to the affidavit, around 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, police officers were notified by dispatchers that someone had called the Dodge Store, 640 E. Grand Ave., to report a white male driving a black Chevy truck and There was a lot of traffic in the parking lot and appeared to be “unsteady on his feet” and drunk.

Officer 1st Class Shane Lewis was in the 300 block of Vine Street when the call came in and saw a black Chevy truck leaving the Dodge Store parking lot at a high rate of speed with “screeching tires” and heading east on Grand.

Lewis activated his lights and siren to stop traffic and noticed the driver of the truck was driving 55 miles per hour and “refused to stop or stop.” It reportedly traveled through the intersection of Grand and Spring Streets at the same speed, even though it was a 35 mph zone.

The truck reportedly strayed into the left lane at one point, “nearly colliding with a car that was currently in the left lane,” Lewis said, noting, “This could have resulted in serious injury if it were traveling at its high speed.” would have collided with this car.” “

The truck then exited onto Grand’s service road and continued at a “high rate of speed” before eventually stopping in a parking lot at the intersection of the service road and Illinois Street.

Lewis made contact with the driver, later identified as James, who allegedly “refused to follow verbal commands” and “seemed confused.” He was taken into custody and taken to the detention center, where he was reportedly “uncooperative with arrest paperwork.”

During an inventory of the truck, officers reportedly found a half-pint bottle of whiskey in the center console and a partially empty second pint bottle of whiskey in the back seat “within reach” of the driver.