Charges hit here for manhunt defendant

Charges have been filed in Ozark County against Adam D. Bartlett Jr., 32, of Bakersfield, in connection with a multi-day and multi-county police pursuit last month that included the alleged theft of multiple vehicles.

In Ozark County, Bartlett is facing charges of resisting arrest by fleeing - creating a substantial risk of death to any person, a class E felony. He also faces three misdemeanor counts for operating a vehicle in a careless and imprudent manner, stealing and stealing (less than $150). He is also facing charges in several other counties for alleged crimes he committed in those locations during the manhunt. 

According to the probable cause statement prepared by Ozark County Sheriff Cass Martin, the sheriff was dispatched to a Bakersfield gas station around 8 a.m. Oct. 6, for a report of a customer pumping gas and driving off. 

The sheriff responded, and while enroute, Howell County Deputy Seth Smith called the sheriff and informed him that a suspect in a Howell County police pursuit and manhunt may be in Ozark County and was currently driving a stolen black Chevrolet Trailblazer with a breast cancer awareness sticker on the back glass. 

While speaking with Smith, the sheriff noticed that the vehicle at the drive-off matched the description Smith gave of the vehicle Bartlett was driving. He told Smith he believed the defendant may be in the Bakersfield area. 

The sheriff and the Howell County deputy met in Bakersfield and searched for the vehicle in the immediate area of the gas station. An attendant there said he drove off without paying for $79.09 in fuel. 

“We canvased the area and were later advised that Arkansas State Police were in pursuit [of Bartlett] with that vehicle heading north on Highway 5 toward Missouri. Deputy Smith and I attempted to get to Gainesville to assist Arkansas State Police with the pursuit traveling north on 5 Highway into Missouri. I was then advised by dispatch, Ozark County deputies took over the pursuit and were traveling west on 160 Highway, traveling toward Theodosia. I was advised the Chevrolet Tailblazer was reaching speeds of 110 miles per hour on Highway 160,” the sheriff’s report says.

OCSD Deputies Matt Rhoades, James Fountain and Josh Sherman followed Bartlett in pursuit, attempting to stay with the vehicle during the chase, but they lost him near the Ozark-Taney Counties line.

“While speaking with dispatch on the phone, I was advised that [OCSD Seth] Miller was on his time-off and had made a positive identification of Mr. Bartlett at Wal-Mart. Deputy Miller had contacted the Mountain Home Police Department and advised there was a subject with an active full J.S. extradition warrant at Wal-Mart in Mountain Home, Arkansas. When Arkansas authorities attempted to apprehend the suspect in the Chevrolet Trailblazer, he attempted to flee,” the report says. 

On Oct. 20, the sheriff was advised by the gas station owner of another drive-off that had happened the day before. 

The Howell County Sheriff’s Department found and arrested Bartlett there. He was driving the black Chevrolet Trailblazer he was seen in before.