Fayetteville, AR – A high-speed chase on Interstate 49 ended in a crash Saturday morning, leaving one passenger hospitalized and a Forrest City man in custody, according to the Arkansas State Police.
The incident began around 9 a.m. on October 4, 2025, when troopers initiated a traffic stop near the 65-mile marker northbound on I-49 in Fayetteville. The driver, identified as Dustin Paulman, 23, allegedly fled the stop at a high rate of speed before exiting the interstate and crashing near Sang Avenue and Berry Street.
According to authorities, Paulman fled on foot after the crash, while a passenger was ejected from the vehicle. With help from the Fayetteville Police Department, officers located and arrested Paulman around 10 a.m.
Both Paulman and the passenger were taken to Washington Regional Medical Center. Police said the passenger suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
Investigators later determined the vehicle had been reported stolen overnight. Paulman was also wanted on a nationwide felony warrant from Washington County for possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, and he was allegedly violating the terms of his parole.
After refusing medical treatment, Paulman was booked into the Washington County Detention Center on multiple charges, including felony fleeing, kidnapping, theft by receiving, and first-degree battery.
