Three-mile chase ends in fatal shooting of fleeing suspect during incident in Crittenden County

Authorities with the Arkansas State PoliceCriminal Investigation Division are probing a deadly officer-involved shooting that took place late Thursday evening, March 20, 2025, leaving a 54-year-old man from Jonesboro dead.

The incident unfolded following a multi-county pursuit that ended on Interstate 555 in Crittenden County.

The sequence of events began around 9:40 p.m. when Poinsett County Sheriff’s Office deputies attempted to stop a Kia Sedona for reckless driving. The driver, later identified as Joe Versie, fled the scene, prompting a chase that drew in Harrisburg Police Department officers and eventually ASP troopers.

The pursuit concluded near the 3-mile marker on I-555 when an ASP trooper executed a tactical vehicle intervention, forcing the suspect’s vehicle into the median, where it caught fire.

As officers attempted to put out the blaze, Versie remained inside the vehicle, reportedly ignoring commands to exit.

Authorities say he moved toward the rear doors and informed officers he was armed. When Versie reached for a weapon, an ASP trooper, along with PCSO and HPD officers, opened fire, striking him. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

No officers were injured during the confrontation. Versie’s body has been sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for an autopsy to determine the official cause and manner of death.

The ASP is compiling an investigative file to submit to the Crittenden County Prosecutor’s Office, which will review whether the officers’ use of deadly force complied with Arkansas law. The investigation remains ongoing, and further details are expected as the case progresses.

For additional information, contact ASP Communications at 501-618-8232 or asp.pio@asp.arkansas.gov.