Arkansas Man Jailed After Rains County Pursuit

Rains County Deputies arrested an Arkansas man after a high-speed chase through the county. It began when a deputy found a man asleep inside his vehicle on Hwy 19 at the county line and saw a pistol in the man’s lap. He called for backup and woke the man after they arrived. He immediately fled in the vehicle, heading toward Emory. State Troopers then joined the chase, which at times reached over 100 mph. The chase ended on a dead end, and they arrested 27-year-old Kenneth Scalerico on multiple felonies after a brief foot chase. 

Rains County Sheriff Office Press Release

RAINS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE VALENTINE’S DAY HIGH-SPEED PURSUIT

ON 2-14-2022 AT AROUND 7:15 AM. DEPUTY ROJO SPOTTED A VEHICLE PARKED ON THE SHOULDER OF SH. 19 NORTH NEAR THE COUNTY LINE. HE THEN CHECKED OUT ON THE VEHICLE TO ENSURE THE WELFARE OF A MALE SUBJECT HE SAW SITTING IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT.

WHEN HE APPROACHED, HE COULD SEE THAT THE MALE WAS ASLEEP OR PASSED OUT. DEPUTY ROJO ALSO NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A PISTOL IN BETWEEN HIS LEGS. DEPUTY ROJO CALLED FOR BACKUP UNITS, AND WHEN THEY ARRIVED, HE ATTEMPTED TO WAKE THE DRIVER. WHEN THE DRIVER DID AWAKEN, HE FLED IN THE VEHICLE.

THE DRIVER WAS TRAVELING SOUTHBOUND TOWARD EMORY WHEN DPS ENTERED INTO THE PURSUIT. THE DRIVER THEN TURNED RIGHT ONTO US.69 AND HEADED TOWARD POINT AT SPEEDS OF 115 MPH. HE CONTINUED ON US 69 THROUGH POINT AT OVER 100 MPH.

THEN WHEN ARRIVING AT THE HUNT AND RAINS COUNTY LINE, HE TURNED LEFT ONTO FM 2737 AND CONTINUED AT SPEEDS OF OVER 100 MPH. WHEN APPROACHING SH 276, HE TURNED LEFT AND HEADED BACK TOWARD EMORY. HE THEN TURNED LEFT ONTO CR. 1425 AND WAS TRYING TO EVADE THE OFFICER BY DRIVING THROUGH YARDS, THEN REENTERED SH 276, STILL GOING TOWARD EMORY. HE THEN APPROACHED FM 47 AND TURNED RIGHT, TRAVELING SOUTHBOUND, TURNING RIGHT ONTO PR 5505, AND AGAIN DRIVING THROUGH YARDS AND ROAD DITCHES. HE CONTINUED UNTIL THE ROAD DEAD-ENDED AND THEN DROVE OUT INTO A FIELD AND BAILED OUT OF THE VEHICLE WITH THE PISTOL IN HAND. A FOOT PURSUIT OCCURRED FOR A SHORT DISTANCE, AND HE THEN THREW THE PISTOL INTO A WOODED AREA AND THEN SURRENDERED. THEY TOOK THE SUBJECT INTO CUSTODY AND RECOVERED THE PISTOL ABOUT 7:47 AM.

OFFICERS IDENTIFIED HIM AS KENNETH SCALERICO, A 27-YEAR-OLD MALE OUT OF BISMARCK, ARKANSAS. HE WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE RAINS COUNTY JAIL AND BOOKED IN ON THE CHARGES OF EVADING ARREST, DETENTION WITH A MOTOR VEHICLE, AND UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A FIREARM BY A FELON, BOTH BEING A THIRD-DEGREE FELONY.