A Gould man was arrested Sunday morning after leading police on a high-speed chase that reached speeds of more than 130 mph across multiple highways in Desha County.
According to law enforcement, the incident began around 9:19 a.m. when a McGehee police officer spotted a maroon Dodge Charger being driven recklessly on Thompson Street. When the officer attempted a traffic stop, the driver — later identified as 33-year-old Markeis Bass — refused to pull over and sped away.
Bass allegedly ran multiple stop signs and traffic lights, reaching speeds of more than 100 mph in a 35 mph zone on North First Street. The pursuit continued onto U.S. Highway 65 and later onto Highway 4 toward Arkansas City, where speeds topped 130 mph.
McGehee officers requested backup from the Desha County Sheriff’s Office. Sgt. Roland Brown positioned himself along Highway 4 near Clearwater as the chase moved into Arkansas City. When McGehee officers briefly concealed their pursuit, an Arkansas City officer spotted the Charger, and Bass again attempted to flee northbound on the levee at more than 100 mph.
Sgt. Brown was able to block the levee near Clearwater, forcing Bass to stop. He was taken into custody and turned over to McGehee police.
Bass was booked into the McGehee City Jail on charges of felony fleeing in a vehicle, reckless driving, driving on a DWI-suspended license, and disregarding stop signs. Authorities also discovered he had an outstanding warrant for failure to appear in court.
Desha County Sheriff Mitch Grant said officers’ quick actions helped prevent injuries.
“This kind of reckless behavior and the blatant disregard for the safety of our citizens cannot, and will not, be tolerated in Desha County,” Grant said. “I am thankful that Sgt. Brown and the other officers were able to get this individual stopped before someone got hurt.”
