LITTLE ROCK — A Pulaski County Circuit Court judge has sentenced a Little Rock man to 25 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections after he pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in a 2024 wrong-way collision on Interstate 430 that killed 27-year-old Clifford James Griffin.
Crash and pursuit unfolded on I-430
On Sept. 19, 2024, 26-year-old Anthony B. Smith was driving a BMW 325 on I-430 near Colonel Glenn Road when he collided head-on with Griffin, who was operating a Jeep. Griffin was pronounced dead at the scene.
Following the crash, Smith led law enforcement on a high-speed pursuit. Authorities say the chase moved eastbound onto Interstate 30, where Smith reached speeds greater than 125 mph. During the pursuit, Smith drove through an active construction zone at speeds above 100 mph, and at times traveled the wrong way on I-30, I-430 and an exit ramp.
Intervention attempts and charges
Troopers attempted a tactical vehicle intervention to stop Smith, but he was able to avoid the maneuver and continued traveling north on I-430 South. Benton Police first initiated the pursuit and later requested assistance from the Arkansas State Police.
Smith ultimately pleaded to first-degree murder in connection with Griffin’s death. Pulaski County Circuit Judge Karen Whatley imposed the 25-year sentence and ordered it to be served 100 percent under the Protect Arkansas Act. The prison term will run consecutively with a 10-year sentence Smith had received in Saline County. He also was given five years of supervised release following completion of his Department of Corrections sentence.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Defendant | Anthony B. Smith, 26 |
| Victim | Clifford James Griffin, 27 |
| Sentence (Pulaski County) | 25 years, 100% served under Protect Arkansas Act |
| Prior sentence | 10 years (Saline County), to run consecutively |
| Post‑release | 5 years supervised release |
Public-safety and legal consequences
The case stitched together two of the region’s most urgent concerns: wrong-way crashes on busy interstates and high-speed pursuits that endanger other motorists. Interstate 430 is a primary artery for Little Rock commuters, and crashes there ripple across the city’s traffic patterns and emergency response resources.
- Traffic disruption: The crash and subsequent pursuit tied up highway lanes and required coordinated response from multiple law-enforcement agencies.
- Legal precedent: The full-service requirement under the Protect Arkansas Act ensures the Pulaski County sentence will not be reduced by parole or early release credits.
- Consecutive sentencing: Running the 25-year term consecutive to the 10-year Saline County sentence extends Smith’s total time under supervision and confinement.
The Protect Arkansas Act, which calls for certain violent offenders to serve sentences without early release, has shaped prosecutions and sentencing strategy across the state. In this instance, the court’s decision guarantees that Smith serves the full 25-year term imposed by Judge Whatley.
Community impact
For friends and family of Griffin, the sentence marks a formal end to the criminal case and a chapter in a still-painful loss. For drivers and commuters, the case is a reminder of the dangers posed by impaired or reckless driving at highway speeds, especially in construction zones and on ramps where wrong-way entries can have catastrophic results.
The Arkansas Department of Corrections photo of Smith was used by authorities in media releases about the case.
There were no additional details released about the circumstances that led Smith to drive the wrong way, nor statements from defense counsel included in the court record summarized by authorities. The sentencing was handed down July 24, 2026, in Pulaski County Circuit Court.
