WASHINGTON COUNTY, ARKANSAS, Ark. — James Womack, the son of Congressman Steve Womack, was sentenced last week after pleading guilty to leading police on a high-speed chase in 2023.
On Sept. 30, James pleaded guilty to fleeing, second-degree criminal mischief, and possession of drug paraphernalia. His sentence includes a 12-year suspended sentence and $5,000 of restitution.
An incident report from Tontitown police said the pursuit began after officers spotted a vehicle with an expired license plate at a gas station. A traffic stop failed and a pursuit began, with speeds reaching 90 mph.
Womack committed multiple traffic violations during the pursuit, among them being driving on the wrong side of the road, the report said.
Womack later departed the roadway and got stuck in the grass, prompting him to exit the vehicle and proceed on foot. He ultimately fell while attempting to clear a barbed wire fence but continued the pursuit until he reached a residence. He was found lying among bushes and arrested, according to the report.
Police located a container of marijuana during a search, as well as drug paraphernalia.
This was not Womack's first run-in with the law, as he was previously arrested in Rogers in 2022 and was sentenced to prison on gun and drug charges in 2019.
Womack also pleaded guilty to federal charges of distributing methamphetamine after taking a plea deal. He was sentenced in May 2024 to eight years of prison time, five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $1,900 fine.
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