- Trooper was fired after a mistaken PIT maneuver on I-630.
- He rammed a GMC Yukon after misidentifying the suspect SUV.
- Buick suspect fled the stop, but later surrendered to police.
Police officers have a tough job, but one of the aspects of that job that most would assume they’re good at is identifying a fleeing vehicle correctly. Sadly, for one random woman in Arkansas, that proved too high a bar for a State Trooper.
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He rammed her GMC Yukon after believing she was the driver who had just fled from him. The only issue was that he was supposed to be looking for a Buick Envista. Now, he’s looking for a new job.
How Do You Mix These Up?
We’re assuming that if you’re reading this, you already know we’re not just talking about different badges from GM. The vehicles in question aren’t even close in silhouette or size.
The Buick Envista is a 182.6-inch (4,638mm) long compact coupe-crossover with a sloping roofline. The GMC Yukon involved here, likely a 2021–2023 model, is a full-size SUV. We’re not entirely sure, but from the footage, it appears that it’s the longer 225.2-inch XL version, which makes the mix-up almost comically implausible. Unless, of course, you’re the one in the driver’s seat.
How the Chase Began
The pursuit began around 11:45 a.m. on January 18, when the trooper clocked a white Buick Envista traveling 92 mph in a 60-mph zone on I-630 eastbound. After stopping the vehicle near the six-mile marker, the trooper identified the driver as 38-year-old Johnny Williams of Little Rock.
Police say the trooper detected a strong odor believed to be marijuana and confirmed Williams was driving on a suspended license. When Williams was instructed to exit the vehicle, he refused and fled the traffic stop, continuing eastbound on I-630. The state trooper gave chase and alerted dispatch to the situation, but evidently lost sight of the Buick.
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That’s hard to reconcile with the dashcam footage, where the Buick is clearly still visible. Even as the officer moves in behind a GMC Yukon, the Buick can be seen ahead in plain view. Despite this, the trooper turns his attention to the Yukon and attempts to initiate a stop.
The GMC driver, likely confused, gets over into the right lane, then signals to pull off the highway and begins to slow down. That’s when the officer rams the vehicle. To the trooper’s credit, he immediately acknowledges the mistake once the driver gets out. The occupants were uninjured.
Fallout From the Incident
The officer, who was hired in October 2024 and was still in his probationary period, was placed on administrative duty immediately following the incident and formally terminated on Wednesday morning, according to the Arkansas Department of Public Safety.
Col. Mike Hagar, director of the state police, says the family with the Yukon will be compensated for the damage. Meanwhile, Williams turned himself into police a few days later. This is the second instance of an Arkansas State Trooper using a PIT maneuver against an innocent driver.
