A traffic violation on Oak Street turned into a high-speed interstate pursuit that ended in the arrest of a North Little Rock man early Sunday morning.

A Conway Police officer who was on routine patrol just after midnight in the area of Oak Street and Interstate 40 observed a maroon Chevrolet Impala driven by Lamar Henderson, 21, make a u-turn from the eastbound turning lane at I-40 and cross all lanes of traffic to travel westbound on Oak Street.

The officer attempted to initiate a traffic stop as the car passed his location, but Henderson then made another u-turn and headed back towards the interstate.

According to the report, as the vehicle pulled on to interstate, Henderson began to accelerate “very quickly,” traveling at speeds in excess of 100 mph.

The officer was able to contact dispatch to give his location and the license plate number on the vehicle.

While following the car, the officer noticed the passenger throw an item from the car just west of the 131 mile marker. According to the report, the officer said based on the fact that the item “left sparks on the highway and continued to leave sparks as it slid down the road,” he was able to “infer that the item was a gun.”

The officer also observed other items being thrown from the car, one of which appeared to fall apart when it struck the ground. Another item appeared to be a cup.

The pursuit continued past Mayflower, where a Mayflower PD unit joined in.

As the pursuit continued, the Arkansas State Police attempted to spike the Impala several times. The first attempt was unsuccessful, but the second strip did make it under the car before folding up and rolling beneath the Conway police officer’s car.

After several more miles, the officer began to see smoke coming from the Impala’s tires. The driver then exited the interstate at the Levy exit in North Little Rock and began to travel down Pike Avenue at 50 mph.

The report says that shortly after exiting the interstate, both of the Impala’s front tires came off of their rims, but the driver continued on for several blocks before slowing down at the intersection of 18th Street.

Several police vehicles followed the driver down the road before it came to a stop. The Conway police officer decided to approach the passenger, who then ran from the vehicle on foot. After a short foot pursuit, the officer was able to take the passenger, a 17-year-old male, into custody without incident.

When the officer returned, he learned that the Impala had rolled several blocks and was then at the intersection of 14th Street. The officer asked the passenger why he ran, and the passenger reportedly said it was because “he was scared.” He initially denied throwing anything out of the vehicle, but later confessed to throwing a gun from the car. The gun was later recovered and was determined to be a Titan Tiger pistol.

Henderson told the officer that he had fled because he was driving on a suspended license. He said that as they were fleeing, the juvenile told him that he had a mask and a gun in the vehicle. According to Henderson, the juvenile told him he was going to put the gun under the driver’s seat, but Henderson said he “did not want the gun near him.” Henderson said it was then that the juvenile threw the gun and extra bullets from the car.

He also told officers that he had only recently met the juvenile, who reportedly relayed his age to Henderson as they were passing the Crystal Hill Road exit.

Both men were booked at the Faulkner County jail. The juvenile was cited for curfew violation, fleeing on foot and carrying a weapon.

Henderson was charged with fleeing in a vehicle, fleeing on foot, careless driving and endangering the welfare of a minor. He was held on a $4,070 cash or professional bond.

(Megan Reynolds is a staff writer and can be reached at 505-1277 or megan.reynolds@thecabin.net. To comment on this story and others, visit www.thecabin.net)