FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) — A Fayetteville man is behind bars Wednesday after leading police from Fayetteville and Springdale on several chases throughout both cities.
David Perry Garrison, 24, was arrested on charges of felony fleeing and reckless driving, six counts of disobeying a traffic control device, three counts of disobeying a stop sign, five counts each of driving left of center and improper lane use, four counts of failure to use a turn signal and one count of aggravated assault on a police officer.
According to a news release from the Washington County Prosecuting Attorney’s office, Fayetteville police pulled over a silver Chevrolet Colorado near North Mission Boulevard and East Lafayette Street driven by Garrison. Police found Garrison had a probable cause for Garrison’s arrest for first-degree terroristic threatening related to an incident at a Dickson Street business on Monday, but Garrison refused to stop. Police decided to stop the chase at East Trenton Road off North College Avenue.
Officers in an unmarked car later spotted Garrison driving near North Washington Avenue. At West Center Street near Gregg Avenue, Garrison drove onto the Frisco Trail. Several officers tried to stop him at East Prairie Street, which crosses the trial, but Garrison fled south on South Gregg Avenue onto MLK Boulevard. He sped through the Fayetteville High School zone up to 65 miles an hour, the release said.
The chase continued onto Razorback Road and through parking lots, the news release said. After Garrison sped through stop signs at Maple Street and Cleveland Avenue, police decided to terminate the chase because of the danger to the public.
The chase picked up again later when Garrison was spotted near Porter Road and West Wedington Drive. An officer tried to stop Garrison at Hughes Street and North Leverett Avenue and got out of his vehicle. Garrison “accelerated aggressively” toward the officer and nearly ran him down, according to the news release.
Garrison was spotted again near the North Fulbright Expressway. Garrison drove east on Joyce Boulevard over medians, through parking lots and through stoplights at up to 80 miles an hour, the release said. Garrison drove toward Springdale on Crossover Road, where police attempted to stop him with spike strips at Albright Road. Garrison avoided the strips by driving onto the grass and continuing north. He then turned onto U.S. 412 West, where police attempted to stop him with a pit maneuver that failed. The chase was terminated again at Sunset and West End avenues.
About 12:15 p.m., calls came in about a silver vehicle stopped in the middle of the road at Joyce Boulevard and Mall Avenue and a “mental person” outside Jo Ann Fabrics on Mall Avenue saying that, “He was going to die today, and that if someone didn’t kill him, he would do it himself,” the release said. Police found Garrison behind the building and arrested him about 12:29 p.m.
Police said Garrison had an altercation with employees at a business on Dickson Street on April 18. When police tried to stop his vehicle, he fled and wasn’t caught. Police said Garrison returned to the business on Monday and threatened employees, then called 911 that evening and “made suicidal and homicidal statements during the conversation.”
Garrison was being held Wednesday (May 2) at the Washington County Jail on a $150,000 bond. He has a hearing set for June 4 in Washington County Circuit Court.
