An Arkansas State Trooper was fired after mistakenly ramming the wrong vehicle during a highway pursuit, an error that stemmed from confusing two dramatically different SUVs and ended with an innocent driver being struck by police.
The incident occurred around 11:45 a.m. on Jan. 18 along Interstate 630 eastbound. According to authorities, the trooper initially stopped a white Buick Envista that had been clocked traveling 92 mph in a 60-mph zone near the six-mile marker. The driver was identified as 38-year-old Johnny Williams of Little Rock. During the stop, the trooper reported detecting a strong odor believed to be marijuana and determined that Williams was driving on a suspended license.
When instructed to exit the vehicle, Williams refused and fled the stop, continuing eastbound on the interstate. The trooper pursued and notified dispatch but later reported losing sight of the Buick. Dashcam footage from the patrol vehicle shows the Envista still visible ahead, even as the trooper moved behind a different vehicle.
That vehicle was a GMC Yukon, believed to be a late-model example and likely the extended-length Yukon XL. The Yukon is significantly larger than the Buick Envista, which is a compact coupe-style crossover measuring 182.6 inches long. The Yukon XL stretches roughly 225 inches, making the misidentification striking.
Despite the size difference, the trooper attempted to initiate a stop of the Yukon. The driver complied by moving into the right lane, signaling, and slowing to pull over. Before the vehicle came to a stop, the trooper rammed it from behind. After the impact, the trooper immediately acknowledged the error once the driver exited the SUV. No injuries were reported among the Yukon’s occupants.
The trooper involved had been hired in October 2024 and was still within his probationary employment period. He was placed on administrative duty immediately following the incident and was formally terminated Wednesday morning, according to the Arkansas Department of Public Safety.
State police leadership confirmed that the family whose Yukon was struck will be compensated for the damage. Williams later turned himself in to authorities several days after the incident.
The case marks the second known instance of an Arkansas State Trooper using a PIT maneuver against a vehicle driven by an uninvolved motorist, raising renewed scrutiny around pursuit decisions and vehicle identification during high-speed traffic stops.
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