Driver, HIGH ON METH, takes Arkansas State Police on high speed pursuit ending w/ PIT into guardrail

On October 9, 2026, at approximately 12:07 A.M., I, Trooper First Class Dairren Evans #573, was stationary on the west service road watching traffic along Interstate 40 west when I observed a dark-colored sport utility vehicle traveling west on Interstate 40 at a high rate of speed, weaving through traffic with no lights on. Due to traffic in the area, I was unable to get a radar lock on the vehicle; however, I was traveling at speeds of 140 miles per hour to catch up. Once I caught up to the vehicle, I paced it at speeds over 100 miles per hour and observed the vehicle driving all over the road. I activated my emergency equipment for a traffic stop, and the vehicle continued driving recklessly at speeds more than 100 miles per hour. I advised Troop D communications that I was in pursuit of a Ford Escape with Tennessee license plate BWV9652 near the 276-mile marker traveling west. The driver of the vehicle was a white male who continuously made hand gestures and looked back at my marked unit with emergency equipment activated as he fled. The suspect vehicle continued west, passing vehicles on the right shoulder and dangerously weaving through traffic. I deemed the suspect had no regard for innocent third parties on the roadway and attempted to perform a Tactical Vehicle Intervention. As I attempted this technique, the suspect consistently swerved toward and away from me while also brake-checking to attempt to escape the maneuver. After several failed attempts, I successfully spun the suspect vehicle toward the left guardrail, thus ending the dangerous flight of the suspect vehicle. The suspect vehicle struck the guardrail and came to a stop. The driver, identified as Brandon M. Bourgeois, of Tennessee, exited the vehicle and lay down on the roadway, thus giving up. At this time, I waited for another trooper to arrive on scene. We safely cleared the suspect vehicle and placed Brandon in custody. As I was attempting to cuff Brandon, he continuously grabbed my hands in a manner to prevent me from properly cuffing him. Once cuffed, I placed Brandon in my back seat, where he actively kicked my windows, attempting to break them. I placed leg shackles on Brandon and put on his seatbelt to try to immobilize him as much as possible. Brandon began making threats that he “had a knife and would kill an officer”. Brandon even stated he would “stab” me with the knife. Brandon became very manic and started to spit his bodily fluids throughout my backseat. On the way to the jail, Brandon made several open statements that he was high on meth and had been high for several days. Brandon also expressed that he was "hurting all over" and requested medical attention. Due to his behavior in my backseat, I requested an ambulance meet us at the jail in a more controlled environment. Upon arriving at the jail, I attempted to remove Brandon from my backseat; however, Brandon did not agree with the idea. Brandon lay flat on the seat belt to prevent me from unbuckling it. Any attempt I made to reach around him, Brandon began grabbing my hands and wrist to prevent the removal of the seat belt. After a lengthy struggle in the backseat and some assistance from jail staff, Brandon was removed from the backseat. I placed Brandon on the hood of my car, applying pressure to keep him from attempting to fight or flee while waiting for the ambulance to arrive. The ambulance arrived, and Brandon requested to go to the hospital to be checked by medical staff. Brandon was then loaded into the ambulance and transported to Baptist Crittenden Hospital. While at the hospital, I asked Brandon if he was willing to give me a sample of urine, to which he said, “No”. After being cleared from Crittenden Baptist, Brandon was then booked in the Crittenden County Detention Center. Brandon was charged with the following: 27-51-201, 27-50-302(7): SPEEDING - MORE THAN 15 MPH OVER LIMIT 27-50-308(b)(1)(B) 1ST: RECKLESS DRIVING - 1ST 27-36-204: VEH LIGHTS - NO LIGHTS AT NIGHT 27-22-104: NO LIABILITY INSURANCE 5-65-103 1ST DRUG: DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED - DWI 1ST DRUGS 5-65-205: REFUSAL TO SUBMIT TO CHEMICAL TEST 5-54-125(d)(3) 2023: FLEEING - FELONY - VEHICLE OR CONVEYANCE - SUBSTANTIAL DANGER OF DEATH 5-54-102: OBSTRUCTING GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS 5-13-301(b): TERRORISTIC THREATENING - 2ND DEGREE