At approximately 4:05 p.m. Friday, June 30, 2017, officers with the Benton Police Department responded to Randel Street, near Highway 229, for a vehicle accident. While in route officers were notified that a suspect fled on foot from the scene.
K-9 Officer Duco was deployed near the end of Randal Street at the Saline River to assist officers with tracking the suspect. The suspect, later identified as 37-year-old Jamie Dewayne Mitchell, was spotted swimming across the Saline River. Mitchell complied with officer’s commands to swim back toward the officers and was taken into custody.
Officers noted the strong odor of intoxicants and Mitchell was given a field sobriety test. Mitchell showed a blood-alcohol level of 0.14 percent. During the DWI investigation, officers were notified by the Arkansas Department of Correction that Mitchell was an inmate who previously escaped while assigned to work release duties.
Officers with the Arkansas State Police and the Arkansas Department of Correction later responded to the Benton Police Department to assist in the investigation. Out of the Benton Police Department Mitchell faces charges of DWI, Theft of a Motor Vehicle, Careless and Prohibited Driving, No Driver’s License, and Leaving the Scene of an Accident with Property Damage.
Anyone with additional information about the incident or accident is encouraged to contact the Benton Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division at 501-776-5947 or 501-315-TIPS.
Individuals also may send us anonymous information to CRIMES (274637) with the keyword BNPD in the body of the text or go towww.crimereports.com to leave a tip. A crime tip can also be submitted via the official Benton Police Department app found on iTunes and Google Play.
