Jonesboro, AR — (JonesboroRightNow.com) — July 23, 2025 — Police said a traffic stop in Jonesboro for an expired vehicle license escalated into a high-speed chase Monday, culminating in the seizure of more than 1,800 fentanyl pills thrown from the vehicle and the arrests of two Marion men.
According to an affidavit, on July 21, Sgt. Evan Henry of the Jonesboro Police Department saw a vehicle traveling on Parker Road that had an expired license plate and attempted to stop it.
When Henry turned on his blue lights, the driver of the vehicle, 26-year-old Javon Devazie Whitaker, pulled through the parking lot of a Walmart at a high speed, trying to get away from him. The chase continued onto Harrisburg Road, where Whitaker drove into the lane of oncoming traffic at a reported speed of 90 miles an hour, causing vehicles to veer off the side of the road to avoid getting hit, the affidavit said.
The affidavit said that during the chase, a black bag was thrown from the vehicle at Medallion Drive and Harrisburg Road. An agent grabbed the bag, which contained over 1,800 M-30 fentanyl pills along with another bag that had three grams of powdered fentanyl.
The chase continued on Harrisburg Road before stopping at Jonesboro Fire Department Station Four due to Whitaker’s vehicle being disabled. Whitaker and the passenger, 20-year-old Jaligiah Andreous Wilson, were arrested.
On July 23, Craighead County Judge David Boling found probable cause to charge both Whitaker and Wilson with trafficking and fentanyl and tampering with physical evidence. Whitaker also faces charges of fleeing, reckless driving, and having an expired vehicle license.
In addition to charges from Monday’s chase, court documents show that Whitaker faces more charges after police said he sold hundreds of fentanyl pills to a confidential source in a separate undercover operation earlier this month.
According to another affidavit, an agent utilized the source to buy blue M-30 fentanyl pills from Whitaker. Through a series of phone calls and texts, Whitaker and the source agreed on a price and location to make the transaction within Jonesboro.
Upon arrival, Whitaker met with the source and sold between 200 to 300 pills that later tested positive for fentanyl.
For this case, Boling found probable cause to charge Whitaker with possession of fentanyl with the purpose to deliver and use of a communication device.
Whitaker is being held in the Craighead County Detention Center on a $150,000 cash-only bond and is required to wear a GPS ankle monitor if he bonds out. Wilson is being held on a $25,000 cash/surety bond.
During Wednesday’s court hearing, Boling said that Whitaker was a “danger to the public”, noting that this was his ninth offense in a period less than seven years. He also said the nature of the drugs found and his charges puts the public at risk.
Whitaker and Wilson are scheduled to be back in court Aug. 21.
