A Humboldt, Tennessee man was charged with fleeing with substantial danger of death or injury as well as five other charges relating to an April 10th  high-speed chase, according to court documents filed last week by Eighth North Judicial District Prosecutor Ben Hale.

Melvin T. Guyton, 30, is accused of leading a Nevada County Sheriff’s Department Deputy as well as an Arkansas state trooper on a chase that began just before midnight on the eastbound lane of I-30 44-mile marker when the deputy saw a “small car” merge onto the highway from an exit at a speed his radar said was 95 miles per hour.  The highway is a 75 miles per hour zone.

The deputy turned on his lights and sirens as the vehicle passed, but it did not stop.  Instead, it accelerated to speeds upwards of 115-120.   At one point, the driver turned off his vehicle’s lights.  The chase came to an end when, in the process of passing other vehicles, Guyton’s car hit a guard rail, careening into a commercial truck and then hit concrete barriers on the Little Missouri River bridge.  It came to rest facing east near the 53-mile marker.

After the crash and with difficulty opening the car’s door, the deputy and a state trooper found there were two other passengers in the car, including a two-months pregnant woman.  The report does not mention injuries to Guyton or the passengers, but Guyton would be charged with endangering them and taken into custody from the scene.

As the deputy said in his affidavit, “I believe that Guyton created a substantial risk of death or serious physical injury to both of his passengers by actively fleeing from law enforcement, ultimately resulting in a serious crash, and recklessly caused serious property damage to state owned property (guardrail leading to bridge) which I believe would amount to approximately $5,000 in damages and repair costs.”

Guyton’s blood alcohol test did not indicate intoxication, and he was not charged with DWI, but he was charged with Fleeing - Vehicle or Conveyance - Substantial Danger of Death or Injury, Aggravated Assault, Criminal Mischief 2nd Degree with damages under $5,000, Reckless Driving - 1st Offense and Driving without Lights to Avoid Detection.

Bond was set at $25,000 by Judge Duncan Culpepper.