Kansas City-area man accused of vehicle theft in Baxter County, Arkansas

BAXTER COUNTY, Ark. -- A man from Grandview, Missouri was arrested on Thursday, December 5 on multiple charges after pursuits with the Baxter County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) and Arkansas State Police.

BCSO arrested 31-year-old Vincent Walrath on four felony charges -- theft of property, aggravated assault on an officer, first-degree criminal mischief and fleeing by vehicle. Walrath was also charged as a habitual offender after it was found he was out on pre-trial release bond from vehicle theft charges in Ozark County, Missouri in November.

According to BCSO, Walrath was reported to have allegedly stolen a 2016 Chevrolet Trax that was running in the driveway of a residence on Baxter County Road 69 after the owner stepped away from the vehicle for a brief moment.

At approximately 3:30 p.m., a Baxter County deputy saw the stolen car on eastbound U.S. Highway 62 and sped up to try and catch the vehicle and initiate a traffic stop. The driver did not stop and the deputy continued to pursue the stolen Chevrolet on southbound State Highway 5.

BCSO says the stolen car approached a rock barricade near Amons Lake and got stuck while trying to drive between two large boulders. The deputy got out of his car and gave commands to the driver, but he backed up the stolen vehicle and crashed into a boulder to get through the barricade, nearly hitting the deputy in the process according to BCSO.

When the stolen Chevrolet returned to eastbound U.S. Highway 62, Arkansas State Police located the vehicle and pursued it from the highway until the car overturned near the Home Depot in Mountain Home.

The driver, identified as Walrath, was detained and taken to Baxter Health Hospital to treat his injuries. Walrath was then booked into the Baxter County Detention Center on a $25,000 bond and may face additional charges from Arkansas State Police.

Walrath is scheduled to appear in Baxter County Circuit Court on December 16.