Officer injured arresting parolee with meth

JONESBORO, Ark. – A Jonesboro officer of the law ended up in the emergency room after a suspect refused to surrender, the police report detailed.

At 6:30 p.m. Thursday, JPD Officer Christopher Jefferson responded to JETS bus station at 2630 Lacy Drive to speak with a woman about her husband, Johnny Leon Turner, 50, of Jonesboro. Turner is on parole and was suspected of possession of methamphetamines due to him failing a drug test.

The officer noticed Turner pull into the parking lot in a gold Dodge Durango and knew he had a suspended license. The officer approached and noticed Turner looked at him and said, “You ain’t got no reason to be messing with me, you ain’t got nothing on me.”

Soon, Turner would be giving police a lot on him, as the report narrates. 

Turner reportedly took off running west through the parking lot, with Jefferson in pursuit. Turner fell on the grass and the officer jumped on top of him but the suspect began fighting the officer, punching him in the chest area. The officer pulled his taser out but Turner then shoved him to the ground. Jefferson shot Turner with the taser but it didn’t affect the suspect. A piece of drug paraphernalia later recovered may indicate why.

In the middle of the pursuit, Turner then began to take off his pants, the report states. The officer tackled him to the ground. During the scuffle, Turner removed a meth pipe from his jacket pocket and began to break it on the ground, while the officer was on his back. The officer told him it wasn’t going to save him from the charge and in fact, it actually netted him a tampering charge.

Turner then reportedly began biting the officer several times in both arms. That’s when Jefferson began striking him in the face. He then tried to use his taser again on the suspect but was shocked several times himself as the suspect continued fighting back.

With the officer asking for help from bystanders, finally, a JETS employee, Becky Sumrall, came to his aid. She actually sat on the suspect’s legs to keep him from getting up until back up arrived.

Turner struggled some more but was finally arrested. He faces a litany of charges for the incident. Felony charges include 2nd degree battery on an officer, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of meth, tampering, a parole violation and a felony first degree criminal mischief charge. He faces misdemeanors for fleeing, resisting arrest, driving on a suspended license, and DWI – drugs.

Jefferson was taken to the ER for treatment of his injuries. He’s expected to be okay.