WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. — A high-speed chase on Interstate 40 early Monday morning ended with a crash and felony fleeing charges for a 25-year-old Tennessee man, according to the Arkansas State Police.
Rico A. Tate, of Lebanon, Tennessee, was arrested after Trooper Dylan Evans reported spotting a silver 2013 Ford Mustang traveling at 106 mph in a 65-mph zone near mile marker 282 around 6:59 a.m. on November 6. The Mustang was weaving through traffic and speeding eastbound when Evans activated his lights and sirens, according to an incident report obtained by NEA Report.
The pursuit escalated as the Mustang reached speeds of approximately 110 mph, passing vehicles on the shoulder and coming dangerously close to other motorists, Trooper Evans wrote. Near mile marker 283, Evans attempted to stop the vehicle by executing a controlled maneuver, but it took a second attempt to disable the Mustang. The car spun out and struck a concrete median barrier before coming to a stop.
Tate was taken into custody without further incident. Damage to the Mustang was estimated at $12,000, and the vehicle had to be towed from the scene. Traffic resumed shortly thereafter as Evans and Tate moved to the shoulder.
While processing the vehicle, Evans reported smelling marijuana. A search of the car allegedly uncovered approximately 7 grams of marijuana in a sunglasses case near the cup holders and about 0.3 grams of suspected methamphetamine in a plastic bag near the parking brake. According to the report, Tate claimed he found the substance in a Kroger parking lot and did not know what it was. He also stated he had been speeding because he was running out of gas.
A records check revealed that Tate held a Tennessee identification card but not a valid driver’s license. Additionally, Evans was unable to confirm insurance coverage for the Mustang, which further compounded the charges against Tate.
Tate was booked into the Crittenden County Detention Center on charges including felony fleeing, speeding, reckless driving, driving without a license, driving without insurance, possession of less than 4 ounces of a Schedule VI controlled substance, and possession of less than 2 grams of a Schedule I or II controlled substance.
As of this report, the case remains under investigation, and all suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.