Jeff Solomon
Member
I ran across this story in the local newspaper yesterday. The guy is definately an idiot, I was just amazed at the fact that he was able to get a Hyundai to speeds in excess of 150 mph.(wow)
Robbery Suspect Arrested
times record
FORT SMITH A man suspected of robbing three Fort Smith businesses was arrested late Monday after a high-speed chase, authorities said.
William Kenneth Byron III, 24, was taken into custody after a chase that reached speeds in excess of 150 mph, according to Trooper 1st Class Desmond Benton of the Arkansas State Police, who made the arrest. Investigators believe Byron robbed the Kum & Go Store, 2112 Dodson Ave., on Oct. 12; the Broken Dollar, 1510 N. Sixth St., on Sunday; and the Waffle House, 9029 U.S. 71, early Monday.
Benton said he stopped Byrons 2003 Hyundai on Interstate 540 near Park Avenue shortly after 11 p.m. Monday, for traveling 82 mph in a 65 mph zone. After discovering that Byron had a suspended drivers license and was wanted on warrants, Benton asked Byron to step out of the vehicle, and Byron took off heading south on I-540, Benton said.
Benton said he pursued Byron to Arkansas 253, then south on 253 to Arkansas 45 south of the city limits. During the chase another driver had to swerve onto the shoulder of I-540 to avoid being hit by the Hyundai(asshole), Benton said.
At times during the chase Byron was ahead of Benton by as much as a mile(wow), Benton said. It was later discovered that the Hyundais engine had been rigged with a nitrous oxide power booster, like the cars in the movie The Fast and the Furious,
he said.
I think he had a business at one time in Van Buren that built cars like that, Benton said.
Byron turned east from Arkansas 253 onto Arkansas 45, and after traveling about two more miles he ran over stop strips that had been placed across the roadway by Sgt. Steve Cox of the Sebastian County Sheriffs Office, Benton said. Three of the Hyundais tires then blew out, and the car traveled about 400 yards before coming to a stop.
Benton said Byron jumped out of the car and fled on foot, and Benton chased him and caught up with him about 100 yards away from the car. Byron was running down a steep hill with he fell down, and Benton seized the opportunity to spray him in the face with pepper spray, he said. Byron then submitted to arrest.
After Byron was taken to the Sebastian County Adult Detention Center, Benton realized that his build was similar to that of the man authorities were seeking in a series of armed robberies. This information was passed on to Fort Smith police, who then interviewed Byron and arrested him in connection with the robberies.
Byron is about 6 feet, 4 inches tall and 310 pounds, Fort Smith police Sgt. Jarrard Copeland said.
Byron was booked into jail on suspicion of six counts of aggravated robbery and one count each of driving with license suspended, fleeing apprehension, reckless driving, speeding and having no liability insurance. He also was arrested on warrants for overdraft, failure to appear and contempt.
Copeland said the complaints include six counts of aggravated robbery because three businesses were robbed and three customers in one business were robbed.
Byron is a former employee of both the Broken Dollar and the Waffle House, Copeland said.
Byron was arrested in 1999 on suspicion of fraudulent use of a credit card, Copeland said. He said he is not aware of any other previous felony arrests on Byrons record.
On Tuesday, Fort Smith police executed a search warrant at the home of Byrons girlfriend in Fort Smith, where police believe Byron had been staying, Copeland said. In the residence police found a sawed off-shotgun and a camouflage mask, both of which police believe Byron used in the robberies.
No money from the robberies has been recovered, Copeland said Tuesday.
Police now believe Byron may have left the scenes of the robberies in a vehicle and may not have acted alone, according to Copeland. Additional arrests are possible, he said.
Benton said he believes Byron also fled from him on I-540 on the night of Oct. 14 and got away.
I was so mad last week, Benton said. I couldnt stand that this car outran me.
Copeland said Benton did a really good job in catching Byron and making the connection between him and the robberies.
Benton said he had predicted that he would be the one to catch the robbery suspect.
I told my girlfriend, I said, Ive got this funny feeling that somethings going to happen today, and I said, I guarantee you Ill catch this guy, Benton said.
Robbery Suspect Arrested
times record
FORT SMITH A man suspected of robbing three Fort Smith businesses was arrested late Monday after a high-speed chase, authorities said.
William Kenneth Byron III, 24, was taken into custody after a chase that reached speeds in excess of 150 mph, according to Trooper 1st Class Desmond Benton of the Arkansas State Police, who made the arrest. Investigators believe Byron robbed the Kum & Go Store, 2112 Dodson Ave., on Oct. 12; the Broken Dollar, 1510 N. Sixth St., on Sunday; and the Waffle House, 9029 U.S. 71, early Monday.
Benton said he stopped Byrons 2003 Hyundai on Interstate 540 near Park Avenue shortly after 11 p.m. Monday, for traveling 82 mph in a 65 mph zone. After discovering that Byron had a suspended drivers license and was wanted on warrants, Benton asked Byron to step out of the vehicle, and Byron took off heading south on I-540, Benton said.
Benton said he pursued Byron to Arkansas 253, then south on 253 to Arkansas 45 south of the city limits. During the chase another driver had to swerve onto the shoulder of I-540 to avoid being hit by the Hyundai(asshole), Benton said.
At times during the chase Byron was ahead of Benton by as much as a mile(wow), Benton said. It was later discovered that the Hyundais engine had been rigged with a nitrous oxide power booster, like the cars in the movie The Fast and the Furious,
he said.I think he had a business at one time in Van Buren that built cars like that, Benton said.
Byron turned east from Arkansas 253 onto Arkansas 45, and after traveling about two more miles he ran over stop strips that had been placed across the roadway by Sgt. Steve Cox of the Sebastian County Sheriffs Office, Benton said. Three of the Hyundais tires then blew out, and the car traveled about 400 yards before coming to a stop.
Benton said Byron jumped out of the car and fled on foot, and Benton chased him and caught up with him about 100 yards away from the car. Byron was running down a steep hill with he fell down, and Benton seized the opportunity to spray him in the face with pepper spray, he said. Byron then submitted to arrest.
After Byron was taken to the Sebastian County Adult Detention Center, Benton realized that his build was similar to that of the man authorities were seeking in a series of armed robberies. This information was passed on to Fort Smith police, who then interviewed Byron and arrested him in connection with the robberies.
Byron is about 6 feet, 4 inches tall and 310 pounds, Fort Smith police Sgt. Jarrard Copeland said.
Byron was booked into jail on suspicion of six counts of aggravated robbery and one count each of driving with license suspended, fleeing apprehension, reckless driving, speeding and having no liability insurance. He also was arrested on warrants for overdraft, failure to appear and contempt.
Copeland said the complaints include six counts of aggravated robbery because three businesses were robbed and three customers in one business were robbed.
Byron is a former employee of both the Broken Dollar and the Waffle House, Copeland said.
Byron was arrested in 1999 on suspicion of fraudulent use of a credit card, Copeland said. He said he is not aware of any other previous felony arrests on Byrons record.
On Tuesday, Fort Smith police executed a search warrant at the home of Byrons girlfriend in Fort Smith, where police believe Byron had been staying, Copeland said. In the residence police found a sawed off-shotgun and a camouflage mask, both of which police believe Byron used in the robberies.
No money from the robberies has been recovered, Copeland said Tuesday.
Police now believe Byron may have left the scenes of the robberies in a vehicle and may not have acted alone, according to Copeland. Additional arrests are possible, he said.
Benton said he believes Byron also fled from him on I-540 on the night of Oct. 14 and got away.
I was so mad last week, Benton said. I couldnt stand that this car outran me.
Copeland said Benton did a really good job in catching Byron and making the connection between him and the robberies.
Benton said he had predicted that he would be the one to catch the robbery suspect.
I told my girlfriend, I said, Ive got this funny feeling that somethings going to happen today, and I said, I guarantee you Ill catch this guy, Benton said.
