CONWAY -- A man involved in a bullet-ridden chase with Faulkner County sheriff's deputies last year was sentenced Wednesday to 175 years in prison.
Earlier in the day, a Faulkner County Circuit Court jury found Christopher Cummings, 29, of North Little Rock guilty of two counts of attempted capital murder as well as possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. He got 160 years to be served concurrently for each of the attempted capital murder counts along with shorter sentences for the drug-related charges.
Cummings is to serve an additional 15 years, consecutive to the 160 years, because he also was convicted as a felon in possession of a firearm.
Cummings will not be eligible for parole until he turns 74, Prosecuting Attorney Cody Hiland said.
"It's been a tough, dangerous year for our law enforcement community nationwide," Hiland said in a written statement. "Today, this Faulkner County jury made a statement: we place a great value on those who protect us from those who would do us harm. And when we have a chance to return the favor, we're not going to let them down."
Authorities have said Cummings was the passenger in a car stopped by deputies in Mayflower in May 2015. Cummings and the driver, Harvey Martin III, led deputies on a high-speed car chase from Mayflower to Conway. Cummings fired shots at deputies' cars but did not wound any officers, police said.
Charges against Martin were dismissed after police learned Cummings had forced Martin, at gunpoint, to flee.
After the men's car broke down, officers struggled with both men. A Mayflower police officer who had joined the chase captured video of Martin's arrest but not of Cummings' arrest.
That video showed one now-former deputy, Eugene Watlington, repeatedly kicking Martin with a boot even though Watlington did not appear to be helping in the arrest.
Cummings and Martin were treated for minor injuries. Watlington was later fired and awaits a Sept. 16 trial on a misdemeanor charge of third-degree battery.
State Desk on 08/18/2016