VIDEO: Driver Fights Trooper, Allegedly Reaches for Gun Before 3 Flee Into Woods

MISSISSIPPI COUNTY, Ark. — A traffic stop on Interstate 55 escalated into a violent roadside struggle between an Arkansas State Police trooper and a driver, followed by three people fleeing into a wooded area and an approximately five-hour search before authorities apprehended them.

The Aug. 27 encounter happened near the 55-mile marker on I-55 in Mississippi County. Arkansas State Police identified the driver as Pedro Gonzalez and the two passengers as Bersaino Gonzalez Gonzalez and Hermelinda Perez Hernandez. The incident began at approximately 3:26 p.m.

According to Trooper Daniel Young’s incident report, he was conducting traffic enforcement while traveling northbound when he saw a light blue 2014 Chevrolet Equinox pass him.

Young ran the Tennessee license plate through an Arkansas State Police database before initiating a traffic stop. The narrative contained in the report does not clearly state what information from that inquiry prompted Young to activate his emergency lights.

Young said Gonzalez presented a Mexican passport and an insurance card that had expired in March. Because Gonzalez did not have what the trooper described as proper identification, Young asked him to exit the vehicle.

The trooper then contacted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement based on information Gonzalez provided during their conversation. According to Young, an ICE agent told him Gonzalez had overstayed his visa and subsequently sent the trooper a detainer directing that Gonzalez be taken into custody.

That is when the encounter rapidly escalated.

Young wrote that Gonzalez became rigid and attempted to pull away when the trooper placed his hands on him. A struggle followed.

Young said Gonzalez eventually went to the ground and repeatedly tried to grab the trooper’s firearm from its holster. The trooper reported striking Gonzalez twice in the head with a closed fist, followed later by another strike to his body while attempting to gain control of his hands.

During the fight, both passengers got out of the Equinox and ran north along the wood line.

Young said Gonzalez then regained his footing, resulting in another struggle in the grass beside the interstate.

The trooper deployed his Taser repeatedly. According to the report, Young fired eight cartridges during one portion of the struggle and observed neuromuscular incapacitation during two of the deployments. Gonzalez allegedly rolled and broke the Taser wires, ending their effect.

Young wrote that Gonzalez repeatedly moved onto his knees and put his hands behind his back while watching the trooper’s movements. Young interpreted the behavior as an attempt to lure him into another ground fight and wrote that he believed Gonzalez potentially had jiu-jitsu training.

The trooper then kicked Gonzalez in the back to force him onto his stomach, according to the report.

When Young attempted to get on top of him, Gonzalez allegedly grabbed the trooper’s right leg. Young responded with a knee strike to Gonzalez’s face.

Young said his concern was compounded because one of the male passengers had disappeared into thick brush, leaving the trooper uncertain whether he could be attacked from behind.

Another Taser probe was deployed and appeared to strike Gonzalez in the facial area, according to Young.

The struggle continued.

Young said Gonzalez grabbed his hands, attempted to elbow him in the face and eventually stood up and ran toward the woods.

During the chase, Gonzalez allegedly removed his belt and swung it at Young three times.

Young said he later rounded the tree line and found Gonzalez lying in the grass. The trooper wrote that he believed Gonzalez was hiding in an effort to ambush him.

Another physical confrontation followed.

Young said Gonzalez stood, balled his fist and assumed a fighting stance. The trooper responded with two additional closed-fist strikes to Gonzalez’s face before Gonzalez again fled, this time toward the female passenger.

Young decided to continue the pursuit from a distance because he did not know where the second male passenger was and feared an ambush in the thick brush.

Eventually, all three disappeared from view.

Several agencies responded to the area to assist in the search.

Approximately five hours later, Gonzalez and both passengers were apprehended, according to the report. Gonzalez was initially taken to a hospital in Osceola and later transferred to UAMS Medical Center in Little Rock.

Photographs included with the ASP report show injuries to the trooper’s hand and arm. Other photographs show Gonzalez after his eventual apprehension, including one image in which blood and debris are visible across his face. The final page of the report includes a photograph of Perez Hernandez following her apprehension.

ASP records list the vehicle as a light blue 2014 Chevrolet Equinox with a Tennessee plate. It was towed to A-1 Wrecker Service in Blytheville.

Young filed an affidavit seeking charges against Gonzalez for aggravated assault upon a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest, fleeing on foot, no liability insurance and driving without a license or with an expired license.

The incident report provided to NEA Report does not list charges against the two passengers in Young’s narrative.

All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.