By Ray King
A $25,000 bond was set Friday for a Pine Bluff man accused of fleeing from sheriff’s deputies who were trying to stop the vehicle the man was driving, then pointing a gun at one of them.
Jefferson County District Judge Kim Bridgforth set the bond after ruling prosecutors have probable cause to charge Cornelius Westmoreland, 48, with felony fleeing, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and assault on a law enforcement officer.
Reading from a probable cause affidavit from Tri-County Drug Task Force Investigator Joseph O’Neal, Deputy Prosecutor Caleb Conrad said O’Neal and Sgt. Courtney Kelly attempted a traffic stop on a car driven by Westmoreland who they knew had a suspended driver’s license because of prior dealings with him.
Conrad said when O’Neal activated the blue lights on the sheriff’s department vehicle, Westmoreland began accelerating and reached speeds of up to 80 miles per hour on West 2nd Avenue. The affidavit said Westmoreland nearly missed a pedestrian on a bicycle then crossed the railroad tracks at 2nd Avenue and Orange Street where Westmoreland lost control of the vehicle and it thru a ditch and into a yard at 3306 W. 2nd Avenue and Westmoreland fled on foot.
Conrad said both O’Neal and Kelly deployed their Tazers before they were able to get Westmoreland into custody. He was not questioned after he asked for an attorney.
