Man threw gas on victim, injured him, says deputy

JONESBORO — A Jonesboro man was charged with four felonies and a misdemeanor Friday after a judge found probable cause to level the crimes against him.

Daniel Barrett, 36, is facing one count of first-degree battery and three counts of first-degree terroristic threatening, as well as a misdemeanor charge of criminal trespass. District Judge Tommy Fowler presided over the hearing.

According to a probable cause affidavit by Craighead County sheriff’s Detective David Bailey, on Thursday a county deputy responded to a call to Craighead Road 78 about a disturbance. The deputy talked to Keith Barber and Darrell Simpson at the scene. Barber had a large amount of blood coming from his face, the affidavit states. Barber said he was sitting in his vehicle when Barrett walked up to his vehicle, opened the door and threw gasoline from a black jug onto him.

Barber said he started fighting with Barrett and suffered a possible broken nose. Simpson said Barrett threatened to kill him and burn his property.

Deputies found that Barrett was criminally banned from the property.

Deputies were notified by 911 dispatch that a man was seen walking on Arkansas 163 a short distance from the residence. A female witness said she had given Barrett a ride from Trumann and that he had her stop and put gasoline in a black jug. She said Barrett had her turn down a dead-end gravel road, took her keys from her and threatened to kill her, the affidavit states.

Deputies found the black jug outside of Barber’s vehicle and the witness confirmed it was the same jug that she had put the gasoline in.

At the Craighead County Detention Center, Barrett refused to sign any of the paperwork.

Fowler set Barrett’s bond at $35,000, issued no-contact orders between Barrett and the three victims and required Barrett to wear an ankle monitor, if released on bond.

His next court date is Nov. 21 in Craighead County Circuit Court.

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LOWELL — On Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023, Arkansas State Police arrested Lowell Police Officer Roy E.

Mitchell, 45, charging him with two counts of second-degree sexual assault.

Mitchell, who was terminated immediately prior to arrest, was transported to the Washington County Detention Center.

ASP’s Criminal Investigation Division opened an investigation on Sept. 22, following a call to the ASP Crimes Against Children Division Hotline.

The Lowell Police Department placed Mitchell on administrative leave at that time.

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Update: Field smoke blamed for fatal Highway 67 accident

JACKSON COUNTY — Smoke from a farmer’s field fire was a contributing factor for the 16-vehicle crash in Jackson County that killed two people and injured six, according to an Arkansas State Police accident report.

Two Ohio residents were fatally injured in the pileup on U.S. 67, according to the report.

Killed were Thomas Blevin, 68, of Logan, Ohio, the driver of a 2017 Chevrolet Express Van, and Terry Lutz, 55, of Somerset, Ohio, who was a passenger in the van.

Injured were Sara Guajardo, 39, of Painesville, Ohio, the driver of a 2019 Ford F-250 truck; Greg Redford, 59, of Elkville, Ill., the driver of a 2017 Freightliner; Alfonzo Hernandez, 42, of Los Fresno, Texas, the driver of a 2024 Peterbilt tractor-trailer; Emma

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Vosberg, 21, of Newark, the driver of a 2010 Honda Accord; Brittany Cricher, 45, of Newark, a passenger in the Honda Accord; and Eric Tharp, 42, of Newport, the driver of a 2021 Toyota Rav 4.

According to the state police report, all 16 vehicle were traveling north on U.S. 67 at the 99 mile marker at about 2:15 p.m. Tuesday when a chain-reaction accident occurred due to smoke from a nearby field fire.

Other vehicles involved in the crash were a 2020 Volvo, a Ford F-550 pickup truck, a 2021 Dodge Ram 1550, a 2001 Nissan Xterra, a 2021 Ford Ranger, a 2020 Volvo, a 2021 GMC Sierra, a 2022 Ford F-150, a 2016 Ford F-250 pickup and a 2024 International TT.

All of the vehicles involved came to a final rest on or near the northbound traffic lanes, the report states.

Capt. Todd Shaw, commander of Troop B with the Arkansas State Police, said Thursday that the investigation into the accident is ongoing.

Jackson County Sheriff Russell Brinsfield said Thursday that two of his deputies worked traffic at the accident site and he and two others from the sheriff’s office were also at the scene. He said his deputies remained at the scene until about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday.

State Rep. Fran Cavenaugh, R-Walnut Ridge, said Thursday the accident brought one of her greatest fears to occur.

“It’s (a vehicle accident caused by smoke) always been one of my greatest fears,” she said. “I’ve driven into one and it’s scary.”

Cavenaugh said the state Department of Agriculture has a voluntary set of guidelines concerning farmers burning their fields. She said she’s looking at legislation in other states that regulate burning.

She hope to gets farmers, law enforcement, health and state officials and member of the public together to come up with a solution.

“I hope they (the victims) didn’t die in vain,” Cavenaugh said. “We’ve got to get all of the stakeholders in the same room (to address the issue).”

The bodies were held at Jackson Funeral Home in Newport and the injured were transported to Unity Health-Harris Medical Center in Newport, St. Bernards Medical Center and NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital, both in Jonesboro.

Arkansas State Police Trooper Corey D. Bates investigated the crash.

The weather condition was clear and the road condition was dry at the time of the crash, according to the report.