On Thursday June 17, 2010, at approximately 6:55 P.M. a Marion County Deputy working traffic on U.S. 62, clocked a 2006 Pontiac traveling at 56 mph in a 35 mph zone. He attempted a traffic stop for speeding. At that time the driver accelerated and the passed several vehicles in no passing zones. The vehicle was pursued through several Yellville streets, then west on U.S. 62 toward Pyatt, where the suspect was able to avoid the deputy by turning off of U.S. 62 onto side streets. A short time later the suspect vehicle once again came back into Yellville, where a second pursuit began. This pursuit once again went towards Pyatt, where another deputy and an Arkansas State Trooper joined the chase. After losing the vehicle for a short time, the trooper jumped the vehicle and the pursuit was on again. The chase continued westbound on U.S. 62, where the vehicle ran a rolling roadblock near State Highway 125 west of Pyatt. The vehicle continued on U.S. 62 westbound into Boone County for approximately ¾ of a mile before the driver lost control on the rain slick highway, where it traveled down the north shoulder of U.S. 62 for several hundred feet, coming to rest in a fence line. The driver then exited the vehicle, ran across a field and into the woods. The driver was run down by the trooper and after a brief scuffle was arrested. The suspect was transported to the Marion County Jail, where he faces numerous traffic charges as well as several felonies. The suspect is identified as Bradley Thomas, age 32 from Willard Missouri. Mr. Thomas is also wanted for being a parole absconder from Missouri and is wanted by the Missouri Department of Corrections. The vehicle he was driving was a 2006 Pontiac G6 and had been reported stolen from Springfield, Missouri two days earlier.

There were several agencies that were involved in the conclusion of the chase. The Boone County Sheriff's Department had set up roadblocks waiting on the chase to get to them, when the driver lost control several miles from the block. Members of the Arkansas State Police, the Arkansas Highway Police and Boone County came to assist in the search once the suspect abandoned the vehicle and hit the woods.

The investigation is continuing by all departments involved. Mr. Thomas will make a court appearance today in Marion County.