JONESBORO, Ark. — A passenger jumped from a moving car as its driver fled a traffic stop Thursday in Jonesboro, according to a probable cause affidavit. Police later arrested the driver inside an apartment after a police dog bit him.
Markel D. Ellis appeared in court Friday, Oct. 9, on allegations of felony fleeing and five additional offenses. His bond was set at $150,000 cash or surety with GPS monitoring, according to the court order.
Handwritten notes on the order describe this as Ellis’ 19th arrest. The notes also state that he was on parole with parole-violation holds and had multiple failures to appear, along with a history of fleeing and escape. Those notes describe his arrest history, rather than a count of convictions.
The affidavit says an officer attempted to stop a red passenger car Oct. 8 near Oakbrook and South Caraway Road after observing speeding and a failure to signal near Caraway Road and Fox Meadow Lane.
When the officer activated emergency lights, the car stopped in the roadway, reversed toward the patrol vehicle and began turning back toward Caraway Road, according to the affidavit.
Ellis began shouting from the car, asking why he was being pulled over, as officers gave verbal commands, the affidavit states. When a second officer arrived, Ellis allegedly sped around that officer’s patrol car, forcing the officer to jump back into it. A passenger jumped from Ellis’ moving car, according to the affidavit.
Officers pursued the car north on Caraway Road and into the Links apartment complex, where Ellis allegedly turned off his headlights and drove at high speed, pulling away from the pursuing officers.
The car later traveled east along the complex’s center drive, where Ellis left it and fled on foot, the affidavit states. Officers found his identification and later used his photograph to confirm he had been driving, according to the affidavit.
Police then went to an apartment where they confirmed Ellis had entered. The affidavit says a homeowner granted officers permission to search the residence.
Ellis refused commands to leave a bedroom, according to the affidavit. Officers brought a police dog inside and gave additional commands before releasing it. The dog located and bit Ellis until officers secured him in handcuffs, the affidavit states.
Ellis was treated for the dog bite and taken to the Craighead County Detention Center. A judge’s bench warrant was also served while he was in custody, according to the affidavit.
The first-appearance paperwork lists fleeing as a Class D felony. It also lists reckless driving; resisting arrest or refusal to submit to arrest; driving while his license was canceled, suspended or revoked; speeding 1 to 15 mph over the limit; and failure to use a turn signal.
His next court appearance is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Nov. 23 at the Craighead County Courthouse, according to the first-appearance paperwork.
The allegations have not been proven in court.
