Teen Arrested Following Police Pursuit

Police arrested a Newport teen Tuesday afternoon after he refused to pull his vehicle over for police for nearly a mile.

Howard A. Thomas, 19, of 195 Admiral Kalbfus Road 21B, was charged with reckless driving and driving without a license.

According to the police report, a Newport officer was patrolling the Festival Field Apartments area around 4 p.m. when he spotted Thomas, whom he was familiar with from previous contacts. He was driving a vehicle with two other teenage occupants. Knowing that Thomas didn't have a driver's license, the officer followed the vehicle out of the complex and north on Girard Avenue.

The officer says he burst his air horn several times, but that the vehicle did not stop, continuing to drive west on Maple Avenue at a speed of about 15 miles per hour. The officer notified dispatch that the vehicle was refusing to stop and continued to follow it as it went south on JT Connell Highway at a speed of about 30 miles per hour.

Another officer traveling north on Connell Highway got involved and activated his lights and sirens. Traffic in the area forced Thomas to stop his vehicle. The officer then got out and drew his firearm and ordered the occupants to show their hands.

According to the report, Thomas quickly reached down toward the center floor area, prompting the officer to yell again for him to show his hands. Another officer on the scene drew his firearm and covered the vehicle from the other side.

Two other officers arrived on the scene and helped handcuff the occupants of the vehicle, which in addition to Thomas included two other Newport teens, ages 16 and 17.

The teens both told police that they'd asked Thomas to stop the vehicle, but that he refused, saying "I ain't stopping for them." Police contacted one of the teen's mothers, then sent them on their way.

The vehicle was towed and Thomas was taken to the station for booking.