Brandon Clarke arrest file cites 100 mph-plus chase, kratom possession
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Memphis Grizzlies player Brandon Clarke allegedly led Cross County Sheriff's Office deputies on a miles-long chase, with speeds reaching over 100 miles per hour, and was found with over 230 grams of kratom in his possession, an arrest affidavit obtained by The Commercial Appeal said.
The court documents obtained by The CA were filed April 2, one day after Clarke was arrested in Arkansas. Originally, it was reported he was charged with trafficking a controlled substance, fleeing in a vehicle driving over the speed limit, possession of a controlled substance and improper passing. The documents obtained April 2 showed an additional charge, speeding, was added to Clarke's case.
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Clarke posted bail on April 2. Documents show his bail was set at $25,000.
According to the police affidavit, a deputy was conducting a traffic stop when a white Corvette passed by him. The deputy said he "heard the sound of the Corvette rapidly accelerate to a higher rate of speed." That deputy then began following the Corvette in an attempt to make a traffic stop, the affidavit said.
During the chase, the deputy said the Corvette began weaving through traffic and passing other vehicles in a no-passing zone. At this point, the deputy said the Corvette was driving "well over 100 MPH."
The chase continued until a vehicle in front of the Corvette slowed down and pulled to the side of the road, according to the affidavit. That was when the chase ended and the deputy "placed the driver into handcuffs behind his back and sat him in the rear seat of my patrol vehicle."
After placing Clarke in custody, the deputy searched the Corvette and found bags marked "100% pure Mirheyna Speciosa."
"Mr. Clarke stated that that stuff is legal," the affidavit read. "Sgt. S Melton asked Mr. Clarke what the substance in the bags was and he stated its just Kratom [sic]. Upon investigation of the substance, Kratom — mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, it is classified as a Schedule 1 controlled substance in Arkansas."
Deputies also said a THC vape pen was found, and a field test confirmed the liquid it had was marijuana.
Kratom is an herbal extract from a tree that grows in Southeast Asia, according to the Mayo Clinic. At low doses, Mayo Clinic said it acts as a stimulant. At higher doses, it has been reported to reduce pain and anxiety.
Sometimes it has been used to ease opioid withdrawal symptoms, but Mayo Clinic said kratom has its own addiction risks.
"People who take kratom believe that it helps them. But kratom hasn't been shown to be safe or to treat any medical conditions. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned people not to use kratom because of possible harm it can cause. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration calls kratom a drug of concern," the Mayo Clinic wrote on its website. "Poison control centers in the United States received more than 3,400 reports about use of kratom from 2014 through 2019. These included reports of death. Side effects reported included high blood pressure, confusion and seizures."
Kratom has been made illegal in Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin, according to Sprout Health Group, an addiction treatment organization. It is legal to be used in Tennessee for those over the age of 21.
Lucas Finton covers crime, policing, jails, the courts and criminal justice policy for The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached by phone or email: (901)208-3922 and [email protected], and followed on X @LucasFinton.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Police say Grizzlies' Clarke had 200 grams of kratom when arrested