John Joe Macias, 38, of Alma faces a string of charges relating to the June 17 pursuit, according to a Sallisaw Police report. Those crimes range from speeding, driving under the influence, and reckless driving to aggravated assault, being a felon in possession of a firearm, eluding or attempting to elude a police officer, and failure to stop at police roadblock.
Sallisaw Police Chief Shaloa Edwards said Crawford County Sheriff's Office also has a hold placed on Mecias for charges there.
On June 17 Sallisaw Police Lt. John Owens reported he was dispatched to the westbound Sallisaw exit of Interstate 40 at about 11:12 p.m. to watch for a white 2006 Chevrolet Silverado truck that was being tracked by OnStar for the Crawford County, Ark., Sheriff's Department. OnStar is a global positioning system from General Motors that links the driver and the vehicle to an OnStar Center.
Owens reported that the driver, identified as Mecias, was a wanted felon and was believed to be a suspect in an arson case.
At 11:17 p.m., Owens observed a vehicle matching the suspect vehicle's description headed west on Interstate 40 at a high rate of speed. Owens reported that he attempted to stop the vehicle, which accelerated to over 100 miles per hour in a 70-mile-per-hour zone and refused to stop.
Owens asked another Sallisaw officer, Travis Buchanan, to block the Sallisaw off-ramp with his unit. As Mecias approached Buchanan, he suddenly crossed his vehicle over the median and headed east on Interstate 40.
According to Owens' police report, Sallisaw Police Sgt. Ronnie Davis, who had been behind Owens, saw the suspect cross over the median and, with his emergency lights on, got behind the suspect. Owens continued chasing the suspect vehicle, which at times reached speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour, he reported. Owens also reported that Mecias' vehicle swerved at other vehicles as he went by them.
During the pursuit, Owens contacted sheriff's dispatch and requested they notify Muldrow and Roland Police Departments about the pursuit.
A Muldrow unit and county sheriff's unit blocked the Muldrow exit, which Mecias traveled past without stopping. A Muldrow officer deployed stop sticks and the suspect did strike the stop stick with his right front tire, but continued traveling east, Owens said.
As Mecias approached the Roland exit, Owens reported that he could see two Roland units positioned on the side of Interstate 40 with their emergency lights on. Mecias passed the units without stopping. One of the Roland officers deployed stop sticks and the suspect again hit them with his right side tires. Owens reported seeing the suspect vehicle's right front tire explode. Owens reported that he also struck a piece of one of the stop sticks and it deflated his left front tire and he had to pull into the center median.
Mecias slowed down and got off at the Roland exit. Police units followed the suspect vehicle, and Mecias was taken into custody after crashing into a Roland police unit.
Owens reported that Davis was able to block in Mecias' vehicle as Mecias rammed into a Roland police unit, which was a 2003 Ford sport utility vehicle.
During a search of Mecias' vehicle, officers discovered a loaded handgun and rifle and an open container of beer.
Police reported that Mecias also had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath. He was taken to Sequoyah Memorial Hospital in Sallisaw, where he agreed to take a blood test.
He was later taken to the Sallisaw Police Department, where he was booked in on various charges.
Edwards said the Roland officer was not injured in the crash.
