Arkansas Police Chase Ends with Jeep Grand Cherokee Crashing into Home
Police in Arkansas are notorious for their aggressive pursuit tactics, which have raised concerns about public safety. In a recent incident, a high-speed chase through a residential neighborhood resulted in a Jeep Grand Cherokee crashing into an innocent bystander’s home.
The Double Pursuit
This chase took place in southwest Little Rock in October and involved two separate police pursuits. Arkansas State Police troopers were chasing both a Jeep and a Chevrolet. As the vehicles raced down Hilario Spring Rd, the Jeep made a sharp right turn onto American Manor Dr, while the Chevrolet continued on and turned down the next street. The police split up to chase each suspect.
Interestingly, the suspects may have inadvertently trapped themselves in a subdivision with only one other road leading out. Considering that police officers are required to demonstrate knowledge of the streets in their patrol area, it would have been possible for them to dispatch a unit to the other road and effectively corner the suspects.
The Crash
Instead of taking this strategic approach, the police continued the chase, and the suspects ended up back on the same road in the subdivision. As they reached a T-junction, the two cars went in separate directions. The Chevrolet managed to gain some distance from the officers, but the Jeep failed to do the same and crashed into the front of a home while attempting a last-second turn.
The officers pursued the Chevrolet a little longer before forcing it into someone else’s front yard and over their mailbox. Both suspects were apprehended, and fortunately, no one in the first home was injured.
Scrutiny of Police Strategy
A police report obtained from the incident revealed that the maximum speed during the chase was 72 mph (116 km/h), while the speed limit was only 25 mph (40 km/h). While wrongdoers should face consequences, it is important to scrutinize police strategy when it poses a risk to public safety. How do you think the police should have handled this situation?