Habitual offender arrested after motorcycle pursuit

A Mountain Home man was arrested last Tuesday evening following a motorcycle pursuit with the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office.

According to a report from the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy was patrolling near County Road 27 at approximately 6:30 when he observed a black sports-style motorcycle turn in front of him and accelerate at a high rate of speed. The deputy activated his lights and siren, but the driver refused to stop.

The pursuit continued onto Wild Oak Lane, a dead-end road, where the motorcycle turned around and passed the deputy. When the driver attempted to turn back onto County Road 27, he lost control on the gravel and crashed.

The deputy reported that the driver was attempting to restart the motorcycle when he approached. The suspect complied with orders to get on the ground and was taken into custody without injury.

The driver, identified as 25-year-old Jonathan Cole Smith of Mountain Home, was transported to the Baxter County Detention Center. He faces charges of reckless driving, no liability insurance, failure to yield, felony fleeing, and habitual offender.

Court records show Smith has nine previous felony arrests. He has faced charges including possession with purpose to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia for manufacture and use, proximity-enhanced penalty, fleeing, two counts of delivery of methamphetamine/cocaine/heroin, possession of a weapon by an incarcerated person, impairing the operation of a vital facility, theft of property between $1,000 and $5,000, possession of firearms by certain persons, first-degree assault, terroristic threatening, and endangering the welfare of a minor.

Bond was set at $15,000. Smith is scheduled to appear in Baxter County Circuit Court on Sept. 8.

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