- Arkansas troopers say a Corvette driver fled at speeds reaching 156 mph.
- Stop sticks slowed the chase before a crash and a very short foot pursuit.
- Police say the driver carried multiple performance-truck key fobs when arrested.
A routine traffic stop over an expired registration allegedly turned into a triple-digit interstate pursuit that crossed state lines, ended with stop sticks, and culminated in a foot chase through a Missouri field.
According to Arkansas State Police (ASP), the driver of a Chevrolet Corvette reached speeds as high as 156 mph (251 km/h) while attempting to evade officers. Somehow, none of that seems all that surprising for the area. What was surprising was what authorities say he told them after the chase was over.
An ASP incident report obtained by NEA Report puts the start of the pursuit on the morning of June 15, along northbound Interstate 55 in Mississippi County, Arkansas. Trooper Arellano reportedly spotted a red Corvette with its license plate cover. Those aren’t illegal in Arkansas so long as they don’t obscure the plate or reduce its reflectivity. A registration check allegedly revealed the tag had expired several months earlier.
From Lights to 156 MPH
When the trooper activated his emergency lights near the 55-mile marker, police say the Corvette initially showed no intention of stopping. Instead, it rockets away, leaving the ASP officer struggling to keep up. State police say radar readings showed the Corvette exceeding 150 mph (241 km/h), ultimately reaching 156 mph (251 km/h).
Read: Police Troll Biker Who Filmed His Own 130 MPH Chase
The chase continued into Missouri, where troopers with the Missouri State Highway Patrol had positioned stop sticks. The Corvette driver ran over those with the left-side tires but didn’t stop. In fact, he continued on for at least a few more miles before braking so hard that the ASP trooper couldn’t slow down fast enough. “I went for a TVI, my brakes got real hot, so I just ended up rear-ending him,” the officer says.
The resulting collision disabled both vehicles. Police say the driver then exited the Corvette carrying a backpack and attempted to flee on foot before surrendering in a nearby field.
A Backpack Full of Key Fobs
Authorities identified the suspect as 28-year-old Jayden Atreeyian Smith of West Point, Mississippi. According to the incident report and jail records, officers found two Ram TRX key fobs, one Dodge SRT key fob, and Smith’s driver’s license inside the backpack. A subsequent search of the Corvette allegedly uncovered 0.12 grams of suspected marijuana. While being placed into a patrol vehicle, police say he remarked that he wasn’t concerned about the sports car because he would “simply buy another one.”
Smith was ultimately booked on allegations that include felony fleeing in a vehicle creating a substantial danger of death, felony fleeing on foot resulting in injury, reckless driving, possession of a controlled substance, no liability insurance, expired registration, improper display of tags, and several other traffic-related offenses.
Lead screenshot ASP / NEA Report@YouTube
