Two arrested after pursuit through Batesville last week

A Bald Knob man is behind bars after leading authorities on a pursuit through Batesville last week. 

According to the incident report, Independence County Sheriff’s Deputy Nick Ade attempted a traffic stop on a Hyundai passenger car with expired tags heading south in the 4500 block of North St. Louis Street, on Wednesday, Dec. 22, around 9:30 p.m.

After activating his blue lights, Ade reported the vehicle continued south before abruptly turning onto Green Lane. The report said the Hyundai made it to the end of the road before traveling through someone’s yard, around the house, back onto Green Lane, and then going south again on North St. Louis Street.

Authorities say other deputies and Batesville Police officers then assisted Ade in the pursuit that found the driver of the Hyundai ignoring stop signs, turning into oncoming lanes of traffic, running through the stoplight at St. Louis and Harrison, traveling by the Peco location off Ramsey Street, and onto Southerland Drive. 

There, the report said Deputy Dalton Wallace successfully spiked the vehicle’s left two tires with a spike bar. The driver of the vehicle still continued, turning back onto St. Louis Street and traveling south about 40 mph in the oncoming lane without both tires before he lost control of the Hyundai in the 500 block of Batesville Boulevard.

Officials identified the driver as Dekota Ray Acklin, 22, of Bald Knob. The report said Acklin resisted before being taken into custody. A passenger in the vehicle, Kristin Autumn Hicks, 23, of Mountain View, was also arrested, but without incident.

After searching the vehicle, officials discovered a small bag of a white crystalline substance that field-tested positive for meth, the report said.

Acklin and Hicks were transported to the Independence County Jail and placed on holds for felony warrants from Stone County.

Acklin is facing 12 charges, including felony possession of meth.