Key Takeaways
- The Spark: A mundane speeding stop on I-630 turned into a 122 mph chase when Divionna Bullock panicked and floored it.
- The Impact: Trooper A. Cass didn’t hesitate; he executed a Tactical Vehicle Intervention (TVI) at triple-digit speeds.
- The Physics: The impact sent Bullock’s Lexus into a violent roll, ejecting her from the vehicle because she wasn’t wearing a seatbelt.
- The Aftermath: Miraculously, she survived the pavement impact to face a laundry list of felonies, igniting a fresh debate on Arkansas’s “stop at all costs” policy.
You can watch the video a dozen times and still not believe the ending. It’s Thursday afternoon, July 18, 2024. Traffic is humming along on Little Rock’s I-630. It’s hot, it’s routine, and for Trooper A. Cass of the Arkansas State Police, it’s just another shift. Then he clocks a black Lexus doing 77 in a 60. Standard stuff. He lights it up.
What followed wasn’t standard. It was a chaotic, high-velocity lesson in physics and poor decision-making that thrust the driver, Divionna Bullock, into the national spotlight. We aren’t talking about a career criminal mastermind here; we are talking about a driver who made a split-second decision that nearly cost her life. This is the story of that pursuit, the controversial maneuver that ended it, and the crushing legal reality waiting for her when she woke up in the hospital.
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Who Is Divionna Bullock and How Did It Go Wrong So Fast?
Before that Thursday, Divionna Bullock wasn’t a headline. She was just another motorist on the road. Her “bio,” as the public knows it, is written entirely in the skid marks and twisted metal left on Interstate 430.
The stop started normally enough. Trooper Cass caught her weaving near Mile Marker 8. She pulled over on I-430 North. Most people know the drill: hands on the wheel, say “yes sir,” take the ticket, and go home. Bullock played it differently. She told the trooper she was rushing a sick kid to the doctor.
Why Did the Situation Escalate from a Ticket to a Felony?
The “sick child” excuse is one law enforcement hears constantly. It falls apart fast when you look in the back seat. There was no kid in the car.
Then came the second mistake. She gave the name “Becca Smith.” When Trooper Cass walked back to his cruiser to run the info, the math in Bullock’s head changed. She likely knew she had a suspended license. She knew she had no insurance. Panic is a powerful, stupid drug. Instead of waiting for a ticket and maybe a tow truck, she chose the nuclear option. She slammed on the gas.
I’ve seen plenty of dashcam videos, but the desperation here was palpable. The Lexus didn’t just merge; it screamed off the shoulder, diving toward the Rodney Parham exit. In that second, she traded a bad afternoon for a life-altering catastrophe.
Just How Dangerous Did This Chase Get?
It got ugly immediately. This wasn’t a highway run where everyone stays in their lanes. Bullock took the fight to the city streets. She tore down Rodney Parham, blew through red lights, and ignored stop signs on Pleasant Valley Road.
If you know Little Rock, you know these aren’t empty backroads. They are full of families, shoppers, and other drivers just trying to get home. A car moving at those speeds in a commercial district is basically a 3,000-pound bullet. She was gambling with every life she passed.
Realizing the surface streets were a trap, she swung back toward the highway. She hit the on-ramp for I-430 South and opened it up. The speedometer on the dashcam tells the story: 100 mph… 110 mph… 120 mph. She maxed out around 122 mph. At that speed, you aren’t driving anymore; you’re aiming.
What Is the “TVI” and Why Do Arkansas Troopers Use It?
Here is where the controversy starts. Arkansas State Police don’t mess around. In many states, if you hit 100 mph, command calls it off. Too dangerous. Too much liability.
Arkansas takes a different view. Their policy—and it’s a hard-nosed one—is that the person fleeing is the active threat. If you let them go, they might kill someone five miles down the road. So, they stop you. They use the Tactical Vehicle Intervention (TVI), widely known as the PIT maneuver.
Was Hitting a Car at 122 MPH Really Necessary?
This is the question that set the internet on fire. Trooper Cass didn’t wait for her to slow down. He didn’t wait for a clear stretch of empty pasture. He saw his gap on the interstate and took it.
He brought his cruiser up to the rear quarter panel of that Lexus. At 122 mph, you don’t need a hard hit. You just need a touch. He destabilized the rear end, and physics did the rest.
The Lexus didn’t just spin out. It reacted violently. It hit the guardrail with explosive force and began to flip. It rolled multiple times, disintegrating as it went. Watching the footage, your gut tells you there is no way anyone walks away from that. It’s brutal to watch. It’s efficient, sure, but it’s undeniably violent.
Did She Survive the Ejection?
The scariest part of the video is the ejection. Bullock wasn’t wearing a seatbelt. When the car began its tumble, centrifugal force did exactly what you expect it to do. It threw her out of the cabin.
She landed in the grassy median. The car came to rest a distance away, a heap of scrap. Trooper Cass ran up, likely expecting a recovery mission, not a rescue. But she was moving.
It’s a miracle, plain and simple. She was battered, broken, and in serious condition, but she was alive. EMS got her stabilized and rushed her to UAMS. The fact that she survived an ejection at triple-digit speeds is something medical examiners rarely see. She beat the odds, but her luck ended at the hospital doors.
What Kind of Jail Time Is She Looking At?
Surviving the crash was just the start of her problems. As soon as she was discharged, the handcuffs went on. Arkansas prosecutors don’t look kindly on people who turn highways into racetracks.
They threw the book at her. Here is the reality of her charge sheet:
- Felony Fleeing: This isn’t a slap on the wrist. When you endanger lives, it’s a Class C felony. We are talking 3 to 10 years in prison.
- Reckless Driving: Obvious, but it sticks.
- Obstruction: That fake name “Becca Smith” bought her this charge.
- Driving on Suspended License: The root cause of the whole mess.
- No Insurance: Just another nail in the coffin.
Does the Punishment Fit the Crime?
In Arkansas, the answer is usually “yes.” The state has been cracking down hard on fleeing. The logic is simple: if you stop, you live. If you run, you pay.
State law (Arkansas Code § 5-54-125) is specifically designed to hammer this behavior. If your flight manifests “extreme indifference to the value of human life,” the penalties skyrocket. Driving 122 mph without a license while blowing red lights fits that description perfectly. She isn’t just looking at fines; she is looking at significant time behind bars.
Why Do People Run When They Can’t Win?
I’ve thought about this a lot. Why do it? Why turn a ticket into a felony?
It’s the psychology of panic. You see the lights, you know you’re dirty (suspended license, warrants, whatever), and your brain shorts out. You get tunnel vision. The only thing that matters is getting away from that trooper right now.
But you can’t outrun a radio. You can’t outrun a helicopter. And in Arkansas, you definitely can’t outdrive a trooper who is trained to put your car in a ditch. Bullock’s decision was irrational, fueled by fear and likely a lack of understanding of just how aggressive ASP can be. She gambled everything on a race she was never going to win.
What Did We Learn from the Dashcam?
The footage of this chase is more than just viral content; it’s a piece of evidence that shows the raw reality of modern policing. Trooper Cass’s report was clinical. He stated the facts, justified the force based on the danger she posed to others, and closed the file.
Public reaction was mixed. Some folks cheered, saying she got what she deserved for endangering innocent families. Others were horrified, arguing that a death sentence (which this easily could have been) is too high a price for speeding and a suspended license.
But that’s the deal in Arkansas. The troopers have the green light to end it. They won’t chase you for an hour until you run out of gas. They will end it on their terms, usually within minutes.
Divionna Bullock found that out the hard way. Her story is a jagged reminder that when the blue lights flash, the only smart move is to pull over. Everything else is just a fast way to ruin your life.
Check the latest from the Arkansas Department of Public Safety
FAQs – Divionna Bullock
Why did Divionna Bullock decide to flee when she was stopped by Trooper Cass?
Divionna Bullock decided to flee because she likely knew she had a suspended license and no insurance, and panic led her to make a split-second decision to escape rather than cooperate with the officer.
What is the Tactical Vehicle Intervention (TVI) and why is it used by Arkansas State Police?
The Tactical Vehicle Intervention (TVI), also known as the PIT maneuver, is a technique used by Arkansas State Police to stop fleeing drivers by destabilizing their vehicle at high speeds, as part of their hard-nosed policy to eliminate the threat posed by fleeing suspects.
Was it necessary for Trooper Cass to hit Divionna Bullock’s car at 122 mph?
The decision to hit her car at 122 mph is controversial; Trooper Cass chose to use the PIT maneuver to stop her quickly, believing it was necessary given the danger of the high-speed chase, though critics argue the force was excessive.
Did Divionna Bullock survive her ejection from the vehicle?
Yes, Divionna Bullock survived the ejection despite not wearing a seatbelt; she was seriously injured but alive when EMS rushed her to the hospital, an outcome that is considered a miracle given the speed and nature of the crash.
What charges is Divionna Bullock facing after the pursuit and crash?
Divionna Bullock faces multiple charges including felony fleeing, reckless driving, obstruction for providing a false name, driving on a suspended license, and no insurance, all stemming from her attempt to escape and the resulting crash.
