Female suspect also arrested for obstructing governmental operations, possession by a minor
JONESBORO, Ark. – A man claimed he worked in law enforcement and asked to be let go after being arrested for suspected driving while intoxicated. The full video is below. Skip to 21:35, or click here, to hear his claim – followed by the officer’s reaction.
It happened at around 2:05 a.m. early Friday morning when Officer Christopher Pigg of Jonesboro Police Department noticed a vehicle speeding on Southwest Drive during wintry weather conditions. The speed limit, 35 MPH, was being exceeded by a silver Honda HR-V, going 50 MPH, the report said. The officer got behind the vehicle and noticed the tags were expired. He turned on his overhead lights to conduct a traffic stop at Caraway Road and I-555 – but the report said the vehicle continued onto the Interstate and, “would not pull over.” The officer got the vehicle to pull over on I-555 North.
The JPD officer made contact with the driver and told him the reason for the stop, the report said. The officer immediately noticed a strong odor of intoxicants coming from the vehicle, the report said. The driver, Michael Lee Johnson, 31, of Pocahontas, had watery eyes and slurred speech, the report said. Additional officers arrived to conduct a field sobriety test as Pigg made contact with the passenger, Kylie Jo Turner, 20, of Pocahontas.
“She stated that she does not have her wallet or ID on her. She advised that her date of birth is 1996. I was unable to get a return on her. I once again asked her what her date of birth is and she advised 1996. I explained the obstructing government operations charge to her and she stated that she was born in 1996. I then was able to find her drivers return and observed her date of birth to be 1997. I then informed her that I locate her drivers return and that her date of birth is 1997, she still informed me that her date of birth is 1996.” Officer Christopher Pigg, JPD
After this chain of events, the officer noticed a female’s wallet in the center console of the vehicle. He opened it and found her identification stating she was born in 1997. Turner was cuffed and search. She is facing charges of obstructing governmental operations and possession of alcohol by a minor.
“…I had to assist her in throwing up outside of my car,” said the officer.
While this was happening, police were testing Johnson, who admitted to Officer Trey Chism he had been drinking earlier in the night, the report said. Chism also noted he had bloodshot watery eyes and a strong smell of intoxicants coming from the vehicle – and from Johnson. Johnson was taken to the overpass of I-555 and Harrisburg to perform a SFST, the report said.
Arrestee #1 (Johnson, Michael Lee) advised that he could not complete the test due to being blown up in Afghanistan. – Officer Trey Chism, JPD
Johnson also advised that he had two broken legs and could not complete the test, Chism said. This was despite his employer in the police report being listed as a “moving company.” He was taken into custody without incident and provided a PBT sample of 0.15. The legal limit is 0.08.
While en route to CCDC Arrestee #1 (Johnson, Michael Lee) stated that he worked in law enforcement that I could have let him go and just called the next county to give them a heads up that he was coming through. – Chism
While at the jail, Johnson became more uncooperative, the report said. He was read his rights and said he understood them but refused to sign the statement stating he understood them. The report said he then refused to provide another breath sample.
Officer Jeremiah Jones described Johnson as, “argumentative and disruptive.” His report said Johnson attempted to stall the test and re-read each section of the statement of rights for several minutes.
He was issued citations for DWI, DWI Refusal, Careless and Prohibited Driving, and Expired Tags. His court date is 1 p.m. on Wednesday, January 17.
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