Driver sentenced for fleeing fatality

HOT SPRINGS — A man has been sentenced to six years’ probation and 120 days in jail for fleeing the scene after fatally injuring a pedestrian last year while driving.

Brandon Neal Harris, 36, of Hot Springs had pleaded guilty July 24 in Garland County Circuit Court to leaving the scene of an accident involving injury or death, a felony punishable by up to six years in prison.

According to the affidavit, shortly after 2 a.m. July 30, 2016, state police Cpl. Michael Reed responded to the scene where a pedestrian, identified as Ronnie Dale Fletcher, 64, was struck by a vehicle on Airport Road near Marion Anderson Road.

An investigation determined a vehicle was eastbound on Airport Road when it struck Fletcher, who was standing in the eastbound lanes. The driver continued driving east after his vehicle hit Fletcher, but state police determined the vehicle would have sustained damage to its front and left front.

Fletcher was killed on impact and his body came to rest in the turn lane of Airport Road, the affidavit said. He was pronounced dead by Garland County Deputy Coroner Ryan Hamilton.

State Police Special Agent Russ Rhodes investigated and located a part number from the back of a piece of the vehicle. He determined the vehicle was a 2004 or 2005 Toyota RAV4 and obtained a list of such vehicles in Garland County from the Arkansas Crime Information Center.

Troopers went to each listed address to inspect the vehicles for damages consistent with the wreck.

At 6:40 p.m. July 30, Reed located Harris’ vehicle, which was on the list, at 409 Ryan Road in Pearcy. Harris admitted his vehicle was involved in the hit-and-run wreck and that he was driving, according to the affidavit.