Judge orders mental evaluation for husband accused in wife’s death
Man faces charge of criminally negligent homicide; defense cites prior brain injury
A Texarkana man facing a charge of criminally negligent homicide for allegedly running over and killing his wife was ordered by a Miller County judge Monday to undergo a mental evaluation.
Lucas Connor McCarley, 35, appeared for a pretrial hearing with Public Defender Matt Stephens at the Miller County courthouse Monday morning. Lucas McCarley is accused of
causing the March 3, 2016, death of 35-year-old Casey McCarley.
Stephens told Circuit Judge Brent Haltom he is concerned that a prior traumatic brain injury McCarley suffered could be affecting his mental state. Stephens asked Haltom to order an evaluation to determine if McCarley is criminally responsible for his behavior and whether he is fit to proceed to trial. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Connie Mitchell asked that the evaluation be performed by staff at the Arkansas State Hospital and Haltom agreed.
Proceedings in Lucas McCarley’s criminal cases, including the alleged negligent homicide and motions to revoke two existing probations, will be put on hold until the court has received a report detailing the findings of the evaluation. McCarley was allegedly under the influence of methamphetamine the night of Casey McCarley’s death.
Casey McCarley allegedly pulled her car in front of her husband’s truck after spotting him about 1 a.m. on Miller County Road 22 riding with another woman. When Casey McCarley got out of her car to confront her husband, Lucas McCarley allegedly ran her over as he was trying to get away. When Miller County sheriff’s deputies arrived, they found Casey McCarley dead in the middle of Miller County 22, a blue tarp covering her body.
In a cupholder in the front of Lucas McCarley’s truck, deputies noticed a glass pipe used to smoke meth. Next to the pipe was a silver metal wallet containing suspected methamphetamine and prescription pills.
An Arkansas State Police investigator, who interviewed Lucas McCarley at the Miller County jail shortly after Casey McCarley’s death, suspected he was under the influence of methamphetamine. Lucas McCarley allegedly refused to submit a blood or urine specimen. That led investigators to acquire a warrant for his blood and urine at about 6 a.m. the morning of Casey McCarley’s death. The results are not available in publicly accessible court documents and have not been discussed at Lucas McCarley’s recent court appearances.
The negligent homicide charge Lucas McCarley faces is typically punishable by five to 20 years in prison.
The state, however, is seeking to increase the punishment to five to 30 years because Lucas McCarley has prior felony convictions.
Possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, and possession of drug paraphernalia are usually punishable by up to six years in prison. Because of Lucas McCarley’s earlier felony convictions, the state is seeking to increase the maximum punishment on both of those charges to 12 years.
Lucas McCarley was serving two five-year terms of felony probation on the day of his wife’s death.
On June 10, 2014, McCarley pleaded guilty to breaking-and-entering and to theft of property. The breaking-and-entering offense occurred Oct. 17, 2013, while the theft was committed Dec. 22, 2013.
According to motions to revoke Lucas McCarley’s probations, he failed to report to his probation officer for six months beginning in September 2015. The motions also allege he committed new criminal offenses, failed to make any payments toward fines and court costs, and used drugs.
A defendant being held on a pending motion to revoke probation is not entitled to bail and Lucas McCarley remains in the Miller County jail. Lucas McCarley’s bail in the charges stemming from Casey McCarley’s death is set at $150,000.
llarowe@texarkanagazette.com