Overview
- During a Sunday pursuit in Little Rock, a trooper misidentified a white SUV exiting at I-630’s Exit 5 and executed a Tactical Vehicle Intervention, then ordered the uninvolved driver out at gunpoint before recognizing the mistake.
- No injuries were reported, and the agency apologized to the uninvolved motorist, who requested privacy.
- The probationary trooper, hired in October 2024, was placed on administrative duty after the incident and was terminated Wednesday morning.
- The original suspect, Johnny Williams, 38, fled a traffic stop after being clocked at 92 mph, later surrendered on January 20, and faces one felony count of fleeing plus misdemeanor charges including driving on a suspended license and speeding.
- Arkansas State Police report 4,719 pursuits and 1,428 TVIs since 2016 with two mistaken-identity cases; a police report identified the trooper as “J. Fitzgerald,” though the agency did not release a name.