A local parolee was arrested on felony charges Thursday after leading Garland County sheriff's deputies on a high-speed pursuit in a stolen vehicle, sideswiping another vehicle at one point.
Gary Everett Morris, 37, who lists a Park Avenue address, was taken into custody around 12:15 p.m. Thursday and charged with two felony counts of theft by receiving and felony fleeing, each punishable by up to six years in prison, and cited for speeding, failure to maintain control, careless and prohibited driving, no proof of insurance and not wearing a seat belt.
Morris was being held on a zero bond parole hold and was set to appear Friday in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, around 9 a.m. Thursday, Deputy Candice Stacks took a report about a tan 1999 GMC Suburban stolen from a resident in the 500 block of Walnut Valley Road sometime between 10 p.m. Wednesday and that morning.
Around noon, Stacks was advised the stolen vehicle was possibly in the area of Walnut Valley and as she approached the area she spotted it at the intersection of Surrey Road and Highway 7 north. The vehicle turned right onto Highway 7 and passed her, but she was able to turn around and activate her lights and siren to attempt a traffic stop.
The driver, later identified as Morris, turned onto Park Avenue headed south at a high rate of speed where he proceeded to pass vehicles on the double yellow line, veering into oncoming traffic.
As they approached Sleepy Valley Road and Park, Deputy Stacy Morgan joined Stacks in the pursuit, which continued toward Hot Springs. Near Gorge Road, Morris allegedly began passing again on the double yellow line, "driving head-on into oncoming traffic," and lost control at one point and sideswiped a red SUV.
Morris continued driving "very erratic" as they approached the city limits where he finally slowed to about 40 mph and turned left onto Oriole Street and then turned into the Shell station at 866 Park where he was finally stopped and taken into custody by Stacks, Morgan and Lt. David Martineau without further incident.
It was confirmed the Suburban was the one reported stolen earlier that day and that the license plate was also stolen.
According to court records, Morris was convicted on Jan. 31, 2012, in Garland County Circuit Court of four counts of commercial burglary and sentenced to 15 years in prison, but later paroled. On May 5, he was arrested on a charge of theft of property over $5,000. He was released May 11 on a $7,500 bond and pleaded not guilty to the charge on July 20. He is set for a disposition hearing in the case on Monday in circuit court.