Last week, deputies from the Saline County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) took several reports of burglaries and break-in & enterings (B&E) in the Avilla area. By canvassing the area and speaking to neighbors, an older modeled white SUV with body damage was seen in the vicinity, prior to those crimes occurring.

A be on the look-out (BOLO) was broadcasted by Saline County 911 dispatchers for that vehicle, possibly being involved in the burglaries and B&Es. It should be noted that in one incident, a firearm was stolen.

This morning at approximately 9:30 am, a call was dispatched in the Avilla area where a vehicle matching that description was seen, and the driver was observed looking around an out-building. An SCSO sergeant was in the area and spotted the vehicle in question. It matched the description given out earlier from the BOLO for last week’s burglaries and B&Es.

The sergeant attempted to stop the vehicle on W. Avilla Road, however the driver refused to pull over. A 36-minute chase ensued which spanned from Saline County to Pulaski County to Little Rock to North Little Rock and back to Pulaski County. Several agencies were involved in assisting the SCSO.

With the help of the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, spike-strips were placed in the road ahead of the suspect vehicle. Once the suspect vehicle proceeded over the spike-strips, the vehicle quickly became inoperable.

The SCSO sergeant suspected that the driver would flee on foot and quickly exited his vehicle and took him into custody after running approximately 25 yards through a thick briar patch. The driver, later identified as Michael Brooks MORGAN, from the Avilla area, was taken into custody. The sergeant sustained minor cuts and scrapes and both his pants and shirt were ripped.

MORGAN was found to have active felony warrants and misdemeanor warrants from two separate jurisdictions. Additionally, MORGAN is an absconder. In addition to those charges, MORGAN was charged by the SCSO for felony fleeing, numerous traffic violations and felony narcotics violations. Evidence was recovered from inside the white SUV which led directly back to the burglaries and B&Es from last week. MORGAN was also charged with theft by receiving.

Members of the SCSO’s Criminal Investigation Division (CID) are actively working this case and detectives are confident that additional charges will be filed.

Sheriff Rodney Wright would like to thank the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, North Little Rock Police Department, Arkansas State Police and Saline County Office of Emergency Management (dispatchers) for their assistance in this pursuit.

Without the community actively providing information since last week, this apprehension would have never been possible. Sheriff Wright would like to thank everyone in the community who aided the SCSO by providing information.