STOLEN TRUCK! Pursuit through soybean fields, driver jumps into river (Arkansas State Police)

Trooper's Report:

On September 18th, 2024, at approximately 12:19 PM, I was traveling northbound on N 6th Street. I observed a red Dodge 3500
matching the description of a vehicle stolen from Ozark, Arkansas headed southbound. I turned around and tried to get behind the
vehicle to conduct a traffic stop. The vehicle immediately began running stop lights and driving very recklessly. The vehicle was
running over 100 MPH southbound on N 6th Street. The vehicle was running stop signs and red lights at over 100 MPH. The vehicle
turned westbound on Garrison Avenue and crossed the river into Oklahoma. The vehicle began driving westbound in the eastbound
lanes on Highway 64.

The vehicle went off into a soybean field and ramped drainage ditches. The vehicle began traveling southbound on a dirt road toward
the Arkansas River. Once we got to the end of the dirt road, the vehicle ramped off into the banks of the Arkansas River. The driver
(Tyler Jones) and passengers (Dusty Gregory and Kali Paul) ran on foot from the vehicle. The driver jumped into the river and began
swimming away from me. After ordering him at gunpoint to swim to the bank, he began to swim towards me.

After the driver was up on the bank, I began telling him to get on the ground and he refused to comply. I tackled the driver to the
ground. Once on the ground, the driver refused to put his hands behind his back. After striking the driver in the chest area the driver
complied and was placed under arrest. The passengers were located a short time later hiding in the bushes close to the truck.


After placing all the suspects in Sequoyah County Sheriff's Office vehicles, one of the suspects (Dusty Gregory) stated he
wanted to talk. I went to the patrol car, opened the door, and read him his rights. Mr. Gregory stated he knew where a stolen
Kubota lawn mower the driver (Tyler Jones) had stolen was. After getting the location of the lawnmower, the Sequoyah County
Sheriff’s Deputies transported the suspects to the jail.

I went to Fort Smith to try and find the location of the stolen Kubota Lawnmower. After a few minutes, I located the lawn mower
at 3714 Johnson Street. I contacted the owner of the residence (Jimmy Joslin). Mr. Joslin stated that Mr. Jones brought the
trailer and lawn mower to his house and stated he needed to leave it there for a while. He stated he didn’t want it on his
property and suspected it to be stolen. I called the Kubota dealer and had them run the VIN on the mower. The mower was
purchased by the City of Van Buren. I contacted Lt. Steve Staggs with the Van Buren Police Department. Lt. Staggs stated the
mower was stolen from their city.

I went to the Sebastian County Prosecutor's Office and obtained a warrant (Warrant#2024-WCF-736013) for Mr. Jones for
felony fleeing and theft by receiving