McDONALD COUNTY — Ricky Gene White was arraigned Friday in McDonald County, Mo., Circuit Court, wherehe pled not guilty to a number of charges stemming from a pursuit last week through northwest Arkansas and southwest Missouri. He has a pre-trial conference set for Feb. 17.

Although he eluded capture a month ago, White was apprehended by police Wednesday night and remained in jail Thursday on an $8,000 cash only bond.

White, 35, of Bella Vista, was arrested by McDonald County Sheriff’s deputies along with Missouri and Arkansas state troopers after leading police on a high-speed chase along the winding roads north of Pea Ridge in northern Benton County, Ark .,and southern McDonald and Barry counties in Missouri.

The pursuit, which began in northeastern Benton County with Arkansas State police, ended with assistance from deputies and a Missouri trooper who blocked a road just off Missouri Highway 90. White fled on foot after exiting his vehicle, according to one officer, but was caught and arrested.

Pea Ridge police officers staged along highways north of town in case White headed south.

They remembered a high speed pursuit of the same vehicle in the evening hours of Dec. 9, but ended when the driver crossed into Barry County, Mo., near Gateway, shortly before 9 p.m.

That pursuit began at 8:14 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 9, when a Pea Ridge officer on patrol attempted to stop the green Mercury sable for a traffic violation and discovered the vehicle had fictitious tags. When the officer got out of his car at the New Life Churchparking lot on North Curtis Avenue, the driver immediately drove away leading officers from Pea Ridge on a high speed chase on the dirt roads between U.S.

Highway 62 and Arkansas 72 east of Pea Ridge. Officers from Benton County Sheriff’s Office and an Arkansas trooper assisted.

White was charged with felony driving while intoxicated; two felony counts of resisting arrest by fleeing; felony possession of a controlled substance; misdemeanor operating motor vehicle while driver’s license revoked;

felony unlawful possession of illegal weapon; and misdemeanor failure to register motor vehicle in McDonald County, Mo.

He also faces charges of felony fleeing, criminal use of a prohibited weapon, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving on a suspended driver’s license for DWI, fictitious tags, driving while drinking, no proof of insurance, failure to register vehicle and littering in Arkansas.

News, Pages 1 on 01/27/2010