Career criminal arrested after chase, flips vehicle

Suspect, elderly passenger and her dog ejected from vehicle after citywide chase

By DON WILBURN

donaldfwilburn@gmail.com

A West Memphis man with a long criminal record dating back to 2011, Oscar R Block, was apprehended on March 8th, 2024, after a dramatic citywide chase that ended in a crash on Interstate 40 West in just past the College Boulevard exit. Block, 32, who has been arrested in Crittenden County at least seven times for a variety of charges ranging from theft to meth manufacturing to abuse of a corpse, was wanted for jumping parole at the time of his capture.

The pursuit of Block began when ASP Trooper Dairren Evans was informed of the ongoing chase in West Memphis. The suspect vehicle, driven by Block, attempted to run an agent off the road and rammed another agent’s unit before colliding with an unoccupied vehicle on Missouri St while eeing inside

See CHASE, page A3

BLOCK

The moment of impact: Trooper Evans takes out the vehicle with a TVI maneuver at over 110mph.

Photo courtesy of Arkansas State Police CHASE

From page A1

the city. Block then tried to drive the wrong way on Interstate 55 North before being forced to go in the correct direction by law enforcement officers.

Reaching speeds in excess of 140mph and weaving in and out of traffic to catch up and join the pursuit along with the sheriff’s department, Evans was became the primary vehicle following Block. Due to the dangerous and reckless driving of the suspect, Evans decided to perform a Tactical Vehicle Intervention to stop the fleeing vehicle. This maneuver, executed with astounding precision at 113mph, caused the suspect vehicle to overturn multiple times, ejecting both Block and his passenger, later identified as Patricia Morgan, 68, of Mississippi.

Morgan, suffering from a broken arm and possibly in shock, was overheard immediately afterwards saying that she did not know Block but was trying to help him, giving him a ride “because his mother had died” and expressed concern over her dog who was missing after also being ejected from the vehicle. It is unknown if the animal was recovered and returned to Morgan.

Both occupants were conscious and responsive when checked by officers, but were transported to Regional One Health Hospital in Memphis for further medical treatment. Patricia Morgan stated that she had begged Block to stop during the chase and that it was her car that he was driving.

Following the crash, warrants for Oscar Block were filed through the Crittenden County Prosecuting Attorney for charges including fleeing, reckless driving, speeding, driving without liability insurance, driving on a suspended license and no seat belt.