On Wednesday, February 3rd, Judge Dan Stidham ordered the arrest of 38-year-old Ervin Derrel Hill on suspicion of negligent homicide after finding probable cause. The defendant drove a vehicle involved in a fatal crash in Clay County that killed a minor on Tuesday, February 2nd.
According to the court documents, the 8-year-old traveled on Clay County Road 406 in the defendant’s car. The Arkansas State Police said that Hill traveled at high speed and recklessly. Around 1:25 p.m., the man’s 2007 Buick Lucerne crested a hill and went airborne.
The car flew about 69 feet before hitting the pavement and running off the right side of the road. Hill overcorrected, causing the vehicle to skid. It went across the centerline, colliding with an eastbound 2018 Ford F-250 pickup truck driven by Mark Johnson, 54, of Rector.
The police said Johnson pulled to the side of the road to avoid colliding with the Buick. The minor died from the impact. Hill and another child passenger suffered injuries. The Ford driver, and his passenger, Shara Johnson, sustained minor wounds.
Medics took all injured persons to Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould for treatment. The preliminary investigation uncovered that the defendant and his passengers were not wearing seatbelts when the fatal crash in Clay County happened.
The court documents showed that officers smelled a strong marijuana odor from the Buick. They found a plastic baggie possibly containing cannabis. Hill is also facing possession of marijuana charge, two counts second-degree endangering a minor’s welfare. They are all Class A misdemeanors.
Additionally, the man faces a charge of driving without a seatbelt, reckless driving, and two counts of no child restraints. The police remanded him in the Clay County Detention Center on a $7,500 cash-only bond.
If you or a loved one have been involved in a traffic incident, contact an Arkansas car accident attorney right away.
Source: https://www.kait8.com/2021/02/04/child-killed-clay-county-crash/