Arkansas State Trooper Caviness Chases Motorcycle On HWY 167 S

On 7/20/2023, I was sitting stationary on U.S. Highway 167 southbound on the gore of the 8-mile marker on-ramp, observing traffic. I saw a motorcycle that appeared to be traveling at a high rate of speed approaching my location but was forced to slow as it approached traffic, obstructing all three lanes of travel. The suspect vehicle then passed my location, traveling in the left lane, and overtaking a semi-truck, obscuring my view of it. As it cleared the traffic congestion, I could hear its engine begin to rev as I regained eyesight of it quickly accelerating away. Due to my observations, I decided to catch up to the vehicle, merging onto U.S. Highway 167 southbound, attempting to receive a speed on my in-car radar. As I attempted to catch up to the vehicle, it became apparent that the motorcycle exceeded 100 miles per hour (MPH) in the 65 MPH zone. I initiated my emergency lights and siren while catching up to the suspect vehicle. Finally, I was able to catch up to the suspect vehicle after it exited the Highway and approached the traffic light displaying a red light at the intersection of Kiehl Avenue and Warden Road in Sherwood. As I neared the suspect vehicle, I saw the passenger, later identified as Samantha Sander, look back at me, then look back forward, appearing to begin communicating with the operator, later identified as Rory Smith. The operator slowed as he approached the traffic light, then began accelerating again as he turned left, failing to stop for the red light, onto Kiehl Avenue, and accelerated away, attempting to flee from me. We traveled a short distance, going over U.S. Highway 167, then turning off Kiehl Avenue onto Landers Road.Show more

I continued to pursue the suspect as he merged onto U.S. Highway 167 northbound, crossing over the gore in front of a vehicle. The suspect then began to accelerate northbound, merging between lanes through traffic. After traveling a short distance on U.S. Highway 167 northbound, the suspect exited southbound at the 6 mile-marker onto Interstate 440. As the suspect traveled on the on-ramp, he approached a vehicle, passing on the shoulder between the vehicle and the concrete barrier. The suspect then merged onto Interstate 440, traveling a short distance south before exiting at mile marker 12, again crossing over the gore in front of other vehicles. I continued to pursue the suspect vehicle as it turned right onto State Highway 161, where the suspect continued to flee south. The suspect exceeded 90 MPH in the 30 MPH zone crossing into the opposing travel lane to overtake vehicles traveling south. The suspect then exited State Highway 161 onto Rixie Road, fleeing west. As we approached a curve in the roadway, I saw the suspect apply his brake, causing the rear of the motorcycle to begin to swerve. The suspect, unable to recover, crossed the center line before exiting the roadway to the south.
Due to the high rate of speed, the suspect was traveling, the suspect vehicle became airborne as it exited the roadway. The suspect vehicle then landed a short distance south of Rixie Road, where it continued south into the tree line, causing both the suspect and his passenger to fall from the motorcycle. I was then able to take both occupants into custody. Metropolitan Emergency Medical Service (MEMS) was dispatched to the scene to assess the suspect and his passenger for any injuries. The suspect was then transported from the scene to Baptist Hospital in North Little Rock for treatment of his injuries. The passenger also sustained injuries but was transported by me to Baptist Hospital in North Little Rock for her injuries after being assessed by MEMS personnel. Due to the extent of both the suspect and his passengers’ injuries, they were cited and released to the care of the hospital without further incident.

Due to the crash, the motorcycle sustained disabling damage with an estimated cost of repairs of $8000. A walk-through of the crash scene was conducted, and a small pink bag that the passenger stated belonged to her was located. Inside the bag, I was able to locate a small zip-lock baggie containing a crystal substance believed to be methamphetamine, a small plastic container containing a crystal substance believed to be methamphetamine, a pill bottle containing 32 white tablets imprinted with 91 and 3 larger white tablets imprinted with L484. A Google search of the imprints revealed the small white pill to be Ondansetron Hydrochloride, a prescription-only medication; the larger tablets were identified as Acetaminophen. Also inside the bag was a glass pipe with a crystal substance inside, believed to be methamphetamine. In total, less than one gram of crystal substance believed to be methamphetamine was located with an estimated street value of $10.