Prosecuting Attorney Chris Walton announced that a Saline County jury found Kerry Burtrain, of Little Rock, guilty of fleeing on Wednesday, November 10. Judge Josh Farmer followed the jury’s recommendation and sentenced Burtrain to 12 years in the Department of Correction.
Benton Police Officers attempted to stop Burtrain’s vehicle after he failed to use his turn signal. After running the vehicle’s license plate, officers discovered that the registered owner of the vehicle had an arrest warrant. Burtrain pulled into the drive at Days Inn, stopped, and then started driving away. He fled by vehicle eastbound on the service road before merging onto Interstate 30.
Burtrain wove in and out of traffic at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour. The pursuit occurred just before midnight on October 26, 2020, in light rain.
Benton ended their pursuit after losing sight of Burtrain’s vehicle at the 123 mile marker. Bryant Police Officers and the Arkansas State Police quickly spotted Burtrain’s vehicle and followed him to the Chicot Road exit off Interstate 30.
Again, Burtrain wove in and out of traffic at speeds sometimes exceeding 100 miles per hour. Burtrain lost control of his vehicle and crashed on Chicot Road after failing to negotiate a turn. Officers quickly apprehended Burtrain.
Following the guilty verdict, deputy prosecuting attorney Brian Clary argued for the maximum possible sentence of 15 years imprisonment. Burtrain has prior convictions for battery, drug possession, theft, failure to appear, terroristic threatening, fleeing, and indecent exposure. Clary presented evidence that Burtrain possessed cocaine in his underwear about a month before the fleeing.
Walton thanked the work of the Benton and Bryant police officers and Arkansas State Police. He went on to add “Burtrain put the lives of everyone on Interstate 30 at risk when he fled from the officers. He turned a minor traffic violation into 12 years in prison. Fleeing from police is not a get out of jail free card.”