Hot Springs man arrested on multiple charges after high-speed pursuit

Geurin
Geurin

A local man was arrested on multiple felony charges late Sunday after allegedly fleeing from a traffic stop and leading Hot Springs and Arkansas State Police on a high-speed pursuit.

Mark Joseph Geurin, 28, who lists a Stillman Lane address, was taken into custody shortly before 11:30 p.m. and charged with possession of a controlled substance, meth, punishable by up to 20 years in prison, fleeing and possession of drug paraphernalia, each punishable by up to six years, and a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear.

Geurin, who was also cited for multiple traffic violations related to the pursuit, was being held in lieu of bonds totaling $12,500 and appeared Monday in Garland County District Court for a plea and arraignment hearing.

According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly before 11 p.m. Sunday, Hot Springs police Officer Cynthia Howerton was on patrol in the area of Chitwood and Plain streets when she spotted a 1982 Chevrolet pickup traveling with no taillights and attempted to make a traffic stop.

The driver, later identified as Geurin, accelerated to a high rate of speed, ran two stop signs and continued on Augustus Street to Albert Pike headed west where he reportedly ran a red light turning onto Airport, reaching speeds of more than 80 mph and crossing the double yellow line into oncoming traffic.

The vehicle continued to the King Expressway where it headed east, reportedly swerving across all the lanes of traffic multiple times. Near Higdon Ferry Road, an ASP trooper joined the pursuit and initiated a pit maneuver to end the pursuit about half a mile east of Central Avenue.

After stopping, Geurin reportedly fled on foot into the woods on the north side of the expressway, but was apprehended moments later by officers at the scene.

During an inventory of the vehicle, a plastic bag containing what later tested positive for meth, 25.1 grams, was found in a jacket in the passenger seat along with an Arkansas ID in Geurin's name. Officers also found a suspected meth pipe in the front seat and at the detention center another bag of meth, 10.5 grams, was allegedly found on Geurin's person.

Local on 02/06/2018

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