Jonesboro Man Arrested for Fourth DWI Following High-Speed Chase

A Jonesboro man is behind bars for a fourth time in 10 years on a DWI after authorities said he fled an attempted traffic stop while driving erratically at high speeds.

Jonesboro, AR – JonesboroRightNow.com – A Jonesboro man is behind bars for a fourth time on a driving while intoxicated (DWI) charge after authorities said he fled an attempted traffic stop while driving erratically at high speeds and later failed multiple field sobriety tests.

On April 25, Sergeant Mandi Smyth with the Craighead County Sheriff’s Office heard two calls over the radio for a hazardous driver on Highway 18 near Lake City. The calls described the vehicle driving all over the road and at high speed, reaching around 100 miles per hour.

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According to the probable cause affidavit, Lake City Police Officer advised that he was initiating a traffic stop, but the vehicle did not stop. At this point, Smyth turned on her lights and sirens and drove to assist in the chase. While heading that way, Smyth heard Perkins say that he had the vehicle stopped at Highway 18 and County Road 508.

Upon arrival, Perkins told Smyth that he had seen the driver, 33-year-old Matthew Cole Pilcher, speeding before abruptly slowing to around 20 miles per hour, making multiple severe swerves, and generally failing to stay in his lane. Perkins added that at one point, Pilcher swerved to the shoulder.

Smyth approached Pilcher and noticed that his eyes were glazed over and watery, and when he spoke, his voice was heavily slurred and slow. Smyth also noted that she could smell a distinct odor of alcohol coming from Pilcher’s breath.

While he admitted to drinking at a friend’s house, he emphasized that it was not “hard liquor or anything.” He then said he already knew he was going to jail and told Smyth to “hurry up and get to the part where I take him to jail.”

Pilcher agreed to perform sobriety tests. The affidavit noted various failures during the tests, including a lack of smooth pursuit in both eyes during the horizontal gaze nystagmus test and failure to maintain the start position during the walk-and-turn test. As a result, Pilcher was arrested and taken to the Craighead County Detention Center.

Once there, Smyth walked Pilcher to the blood alcohol content room and removed his handcuffs. While going over the DWI statement of rights form, Pilcher was handed a copy to read as Smyth read out loud, but he tossed it aside and refused to look at it. Regardless, he signed it and agreed to perform a breath test. The test was completed with a result of 0.03, but Smyth said even if the test did not show a 0.08, he would still be charged due to “the sheer amount of evidence showing him to be too impaired to drive.”

On April 27, Pilcher appeared before District Judge Tommy Fowler, who found probable cause to charge him with one felony: DWI (unlawful act) IV or higher. The affidavit noted this was due to his having three prior DWI convictions in the past ten years. Because of this, Fowler considered him “a danger to the public.”

In addition to being given a $10,000 cash-only bond, Pilcher will also have to wear a Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitor (SCRAM) upon release.

Pilcher’s next court appearance is scheduled for July 24.