A Hot Springs man who led Arkansas State Police on a lengthy high-speed pursuit and then fled on foot early last year pleaded guilty to charges Monday in Garland County Circuit Court and was sentenced Thursday.
Sean Michael Dickson, 38, who was originally set to stand trial Thursday, opted to plead guilty Monday to felony counts of fleeing in a vehicle and first-degree criminal mischief, each punishable by up to six years in prison, and misdemeanor counts of fleeing on foot and second-degree criminal mischief, and waived his right to a trial by jury.
On Thursday, after a brief hearing, Judge John Homer Wright sentenced Dickson to six years of supervised probation, fined him $3,000 and ordered him to pay $673 in restitution and $190 in court costs. A hearing to review his probation and restitution is set for May 4.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on Jan. 19, 2019, around 4:15 p.m., Arkansas State Police Trooper Ryan Wingo saw a red Chevrolet pickup traveling east on Highway 70 east with expired tags and made a traffic stop.
Wingo approached the driver, later identified as Dickson, and noted the front seat passenger, identified as Mitchell Scott Greathouse, 32, was not wearing a seat belt. A computer check showed both men were active parolees with search waivers on file, so Wingo asked Dickson if there was anything illegal in the vehicle.
Dickson stated there wasn't, but when Wingo opened the driver's door and asked Dickson to step out, Dickson put the car in drive and sped away. Wingo noted Dickson nearly collided with other vehicles on the highway as he pulled off the shoulder into the eastbound lane.
Wingo ran back to his unit and initiated a pursuit of the vehicle as Dickson continued about one mile down the highway before veering across oncoming traffic to turn left onto Cedar Creek Road. Wingo opted to follow the vehicle on the dirt road without lights and siren to avoid losing control.
He caught up to Dickson as he turned onto 10 Mile Road and then onto Millcreek Road where the road turned from dirt to paved and the pursuit continued with lights and siren. Dickson continued on Millcreek until he turned on Highway 128, running the stop sign, and continued to flee.
Dickson later turned onto Highway 5, again running the stop sign, and continued north. At that point, Wingo utilized a PIT (pursuit intervention technique) maneuver, causing Dickson's truck to go into a ditch where it collided with a fence and metal gate. The front end and undercarriage of Wingo's unit was also damaged.
After Dickson's vehicle came to rest, he and Greathouse both jumped out and fled on foot into an open field. Wingo chased them and Greathouse fell and was taken into custody while Dickson continued to flee into an adjoining field.
National Park Service K-9 officers arrived and were able to track Dickson and take him into custody a short time later.
Greathouse was charged with a misdemeanor count of fleeing on foot and pleaded guilty on May 31, 2019. He agreed to enter a drug rehab program in South Carolina which he completed successfully, according to court records.
The affidavit notes damage to Wingo's unit was estimated at $8,000 and damage to the fence and gate was estimated at $2,000.
Dickson pleaded not guilty to the charges on March 29 and was released on a $15,000 bond on April 28.
Local on 03/14/2020