A Hot Springs man who fled from a Hot Springs police traffic stop last summer, crashing his car into other motorists in the middle of downtown, and then fled on foot was sentenced to four years in prison Monday.
Curtis Edward Freeman, 30, who has remained in custody since his arrest, pleaded guilty in Garland County Circuit Court to felony counts of fleeing in a vehicle, aggravated assault and first-degree criminal mischief and was sentenced to six years in prison, with two years suspended, fined $500 and ordered to pay $190 in court costs.
Additional misdemeanor charges of fleeing on foot, resisting arrest and obstructing government operations were withdrawn in Garland County District Court before the case was filed to circuit court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on May 11, shortly after 11:30 a.m., police Officer Richard Davis made a traffic stop on a white Chevrolet Lumina at Chapel Street and Central Avenue after noting the license plate was fictitious.
He made contact with the driver, later identified as Freeman, who initially gave him a fake name and was unable to provide his ID, insurance or vehicle registration. Davis returned to his unit to check the name given and discovered it did not match the driver. While attempting to properly identify him, Freeman sped away north on Chapel.
The car turned onto Prospect and then onto Court Street where Davis briefly lost sight of it. Then he spotted it again running the traffic signal, turning left onto Central, where Freeman continued northbound "driving extremely reckless and changing lanes at a high rate of speed without signaling."
The car was still traveling at a high rate of speed as it approached Fountain Street and Freeman reportedly lost control, colliding with a decorative iron fence belonging to the city, valued at $3,000, then spun around and struck a maroon 2007 Dodge pickup occupied by two people.
The vehicle came to a final stop on the sidewalk in front of the Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa, 239 Central, after striking a city bus bench, valued at $500. At that point, Freeman climbed out of the driver's side window and fled north on foot despite multiple commands to stop.
After a brief foot pursuit, Davis warned Freeman if he didn't stop he would deploy his Taser, but Freeman continued running. Davis fired his Taser and made full contact. Once on the ground, Freeman was ordered to roll on his stomach but he refused to comply so Davis gave him a second Taser cycle and he was finally taken into custody.
LifeNet responded to check Freeman and he was transported to National Park Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. It was determined he had a warrant for a parole violation and several other warrants through different counties and agencies. He was later cleared for release and taken to the jail.
The driver and passenger of the Dodge pickup both stated they were injured and the female passenger was transported by LifeNet to a local hospital for her injuries.
Freeman pleaded not guilty to the charges on July 26 and was set to stand trial Tuesday, but opted to plead guilty at his pretrial hearing on Monday. Freeman had previously pleaded guilty on July 11, 2011, to possession of a controlled substance, cocaine, with purpose to deliver and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Local on 01/15/2020