An Oklahoma man is dead and a Stone County man is in jail after an incident on June 21 on Highway 58 east of Guion in Izard County.
According to a report from the Arkansas State Police and an affidavit of probable cause filed June 23 in Izard County, Lance Johnson, 22, is facing charges of negligent homicide, a class B felony; driving while intoxicated DWI II, a class A misdemeanor and driving on a suspended license, a class A misdemeanor.
The charges stem from an accident involving a tractor being operated by Johnson and a pedestrian, the victim, 22-year-old Cody Killingsworth of Checotaw, OK.
Arkansas State Trooper Kevin Helm was dispatched to a fatality crash on Arkansas State Highway 58 West near Guion at approximately 10:17 a.m.
Due to distance, Helm did not arrive until 11:16, however; upon his arrival, he spoke with Sgt. Steve Davidson with the Izard County Sheriff’s Department.
Helm also saw a yellow jeep parked with Johnson seated in the passenger side. Helm spoke to Johnson who appeared to be intoxicated.
When asked if he’d been drinking, Johnson said he had not, but later when faced with a breathalyzer test, Johnson said he had been drinking the night prior but stopped drinking around 4 a.m.
Johnson was placed under arrest and transported to the Izard County Detention Center. He agreed to participate in an intoxicants test resulting in a blood alcohol level of .08.
Johnson also provided a urine sample.
On June 22, Special Agent Justin Nowlin interviewed Johnson at the jail during which Johnson stated he had been at his residence in Mountain View on June 20 and had consumed a 30-pack of beer throughout the night had stopped drinking around 3 a.m. on June 21.
During the interview, Johnson said he had been operating the tractor and that it had stalled in the middle of the road.
When Killingsworth approached the tractor, he was standing near the left rear tire and Johnson was still on the tractor.
Johnson stated the victim placed the tractor in gear and the tractor began moving forward running over the victim.
Johnson said he should not have been drinking all night before the incident and was aware his driver’s license was suspended for a prior DWI.
Johnson is currently being held in the Izard County Detention Center.
Lauren is a an award-winning journalist who decided after 10 years of newspaper experience to venture out. Hallmark Times was born.
