Jonesboro, AR — (JonesboroRightNow.com) — July 23, 2025 — A Blytheville man turned himself in after police said he grabbed an officer’s arm, put his car in reverse, and sped off through a home’s front yard to escape a traffic stop in Jonesboro.

Judge David Boling found probable cause July 23 to charge 21-year-old Barry Fitzgerald Davis with aggravated assault upon a law enforcement officer or employee of the state, obstructing governmental operations, failure to use a turn signal, fleeing, and shoplifting $1,000 or less.

According to the affidavit, on June 27, Jonesboro police officers were called to a business about shoplifters taking ammunition.

When they arrived, they saw the suspect vehicle driving east on Meador Road. Officers began following the vehicle, noticing the driver, Davis, failed to signal any turns they were making. The driver finally stopped, and a traffic stop was performed. It was noted that a juvenile was in the passenger’s seat.

Davis told the officer he had a firearm on him, and he was asked to get out of the vehicle. However, he refused and began rolling up his window, the affidavit said.

The affidavit said the juvenile got out of the vehicle and was told by another officer he would be detained. Upon hearing this, the juvenile pulled away from the officer and got back in the vehicle.

While attempting to get Davis to get out of the vehicle, an officer reached into the window to unlock the driver’s side door. The affidavit said Davis then grabbed the officer’s arm and put the vehicle in reverse, pulling out backwards quickly and barely avoiding both officers. He then put the vehicle into drive and sped off through a home’s front yard.

A chase ensued until getting to Mary Jane Road, where Davis and the juvenile left the vehicle and ran off. The affidavit said that a bench warrant was put out for Davis’s arrest.

On July 22, task force officers with the U.S. Marshal Service called Fitzgerald, who agreed to turn himself in at the Jonesboro Police Department. There, he was arrested and taken to the Craighead County Detention Center. He is being held there on a $25,000 cash/surety bond.

Davis’s next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 30.