Cory Mercier and Trenton Johnson, both 21 years old, were on their way back home to Michigan when they led police in Arkansas and Oklahoma on a high-speed chase that caused the Tontitown police chief to crash and roll his vehicle multiple times.
Mercier and Johnson are from Westland but were currently roommates in New Boston in southern Wayne County.
The two were in a stolen U-Haul van, according to Tontitown police, when police in Oklahoma first tried to stop them.
The police chase went into Arkansas and speeds reached 120 mph until police were able to stop the U-Haul but not before Mercier, who was allegedly behind the wheel, rammed a vehicle head-on.
Police were able to box them in and arrest Mercier and Johnson.
Police said they found firearms and homemade explosives in the back of the stolen U-Haul, and then they learned that the men were wanted by police in Westland for two incidents of fleeing and eluding.
“Initial conversations with them was that they were headed back to the Michigan area and for whatever purpose, that they were going to use those firearms or a Molotov cocktail. I cannot think of a legitimate reason,” said Det. Keith Lindley of the Tontitown Police Department.