WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. — A West Memphis man wanted for "multiple" felonies is dead after a police chase ended in a crash just before Memphis' I-40 bridge, and video of the incident appears to show an Arkansas State Police (ASP) trooper performing what looks to be a PIT maneuver before the deadly crash.
Arkansas State Police said they were assisting a drug task force in West Memphis when they began chasing the fleeing suspect, 43-year-old Mario Paige from West Memphis, who they said was wanted on "multiple" warrants.
Arkansas State Police said the high-speed chase ended just before the I-40 Bridge outside of Memphis when a trooper was "preparing to perform" a PIT maneuver when the suspect, who they said was driving 140 mph at the time, "suddenly applied his brakes," causing the crash where his car ran over the side of the embankment, ultimately resulting in his death.
However, video from the incident obtained by ABC24 appears to show the ASP trooper performing what looks to be a PIT maneuver on the car, who appears to maintain its speed and lane, before both cars collided and lost control. The suspect car then goes over the side of the highway while the ASP trooper appears to side-swipe a semi-trailer. You can view the video below:
Arkansas State Police said the trooper sustained minor injuries and was treated on scene. He was placed on administrative leave pending investigation.
“The suspect was driving recklessly and putting the public in extreme danger by driving at high speeds, passing on the shoulder, and almost running other vehicles off the roadway,” said ASP Col. Mike Hagar. “Although we regret any loss of life, we thank God our Trooper and other motorists were not injured.”
ASP said the incident is still under investigation.
We followed up with State Police with findings from the video, and we will update this story when they reply.
PIT Maneuvers in Arkansas
In October, another crash involving a chase by Arkansas State Police was caught on video, appearing to show a PIT maneuver just before the I-40 bridge.
The video shows a car being chased into Memphis over the I-40 bridge, when law enforcement executes a "PIT" maneuver, causing the car to lose control, crashing into the side wall with an object shown flying from the car and over the side of the bridge.
Arkansas State Police (ASP) confirmed that the incident took place around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023. An ASP trooper assisted the West Memphis Police Department in a pursuit of a suspect in a Black Ford Mustang who was reportedly shooting at homes in the area.
The trooper followed the pursuit onto Interstate 40, traveling east from the 280-mile marker. West Memphis Police got in front of the suspect vehicle on the Hernando de Soto bridge, slowing it down. The ASP trooper conducted a PIT maneuver, which caused the driver to lose control and collide with the concrete wall. Then, the driver ran out and jumped over the bridge wall, according to ASP.
West Memphis officers took the people in the car into custody while the trooper called an ambulance for the driver, Michael Lewis, 33, of West Memphis. Lewis was taken to Regional One in Memphis, according to ASP.
Arkansas State Police Director Col. Mike Hagar told our sister station KTHV in early October that Arkansas is on pace to break an all-time record of the number of pursuits they've engaged in this year alone, which is already approximately 651.
Hagar said they never want the controversial "PIT" maneuver to be fatal. However, they wish people would obey the law and stop when law enforcement approaches.
"We do not want anyone to get hurt," Hagar said. "We don't want anyone to be killed, but at the end of the day, we are always going to maintain that clear priority of life, which is the innocent public, then the law enforcement, then the suspects."
The high number of PIT maneuvers has left many Arkansans wondering if the tactic is truly the best way to get a person to comply.
"The use of spike strips is where you can deflate the tires on a vehicle," Hagar said. "In order to do that, you have to know where that vehicle is going. You have to have a trooper or police officer set up in the exact area where that suspect is going. The chances of that happening are very slim."
Hagar said the big issue is also manpower. To lay down those spikes, and to block the roads, takes a lot of people, which right now is not ideal as law enforcement is still going through a shortage of officers.
According to Hagar, the quickest way to end a pursuit going over 100 mph is by performing a PIT.