DWI driver (With MOM in car) flees from police and rams tree - Car engulfed in fire!

Trooper's Report:
On Friday, March 1, 2024, I Trooper Ramsey was traveling eastbound on U.S. Highway 412 passing the Hometown Country
Store near Vanzant Road around 8:20 PM. As I approached the store, I observed a small passenger car that appeared to be a
Ford Fusion driving through the parking lot with a blinker on but no lights. The vehicle accelerated at a high speed and then
stopped in the parking lot twice. Then accelerated onto West Vanzant at a high rate of speed still with no lights on. I turned onto
West Vanzant Road and by this time the vehicle had turned its lights on and was now traveling at speeds above 50 MPH in a
35-mph zone. I activated my emergency lights and the vehicle slowed but then accelerated again. I then activated my siren and
clocked, on radar, the suspect vehicle traveling at 80 MPH still in a 35-mph zone. I began trying to catch up to the vehicle as we
traveled south.
As I came around a corner at the top of a hill the vehicle had lost control and had run off both sides of the road. The vehicle
was back off the left side where it went through someone’s front yard, struck their driveway culvert, and then crossed the road
and struck a large tree before coming to final rest. I notified dispatch of what I had and exited my vehicle. At the same time, the
driver was exiting his. I gave commands to which he complied. I was able to clear the vehicle and observed an older female
passenger who had her hands up. The driver identified as Grant Thomas was taken into custody without incident. During the
arrest could smell a strong odor of intoxicants. I escorted Thomas back to my unit conducted a quick search for weapons and then had him sit in front of my unit, due to no cage in the unit I was driving during this incident. I then went and checked on the
female later identified as Ms. Melissa Hittson who stated she felt she could walk. I went to the passenger side to assist her out
of the car at which point heard the crackling of a fire and could then see the passenger side of the engine bay had caught the
pine needles and leaves on fire. I moved both subjects further away and called for fire assistance.
While getting the female out, Mr. Thomas was yelling he stole the car from his sister. Now at a safe distance from the fire, I
read Mr. Thomas his Miranda Warning, in which he was willing to talk. He stated he had drunk a shot and a beer, but his
mother was more drunk. He also stated he had just been released from prison in November. He still insisted he stole the
sister’s car. Trooper Matthew Walker arrived on the scene and secured the suspect in his car with a cage. As well as working
on the crash report portion of the incident. Walker also transported Thomas to the jail and did the DWI investigation portion
which concluded in a BAC result of .14. The sister and registered owner of the vehicle Ms. Sarah Thomas arrived on the scene
and stated he did not steal the car and did not want him in trouble for that.
The female passenger Ms. Hittson was transported to NW Springdale to be checked and treated for any injuries sustained in
the crash. Mr. Thomas was booked in and charged at the Washington County Detention Center for the following charges:
5-54-125(d)(2) 2023: FLEEING - VEHICLE OR CONVEYANCE - EXCEEDING THE SPEED LIMIT
5-13-202: BATTERY - 2ND DEGREE
27-16-303: DRIVING ON SUSPENDED LICENSE
27-22-104: NO LIABILITY INSURANCE
5-65-103 1ST: DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED - DWI 1ST
27-36-204: VEH LIGHTS - NO LIGHTS AT NIGHT
27-50-308(b)(1)(A) 1ST: RECKLESS DRIVING - 1ST OFFENSE - PHYSICAL INJURY
27-50-302(a)(7): SPEEDING - MORE THAN 15 MPH OVER LIMIT