Man sentenced for injuring officer

Police say he purposefully crashed into patrol vehicle during pursuit

BENTONVILLE — A Huntsville man was sentenced to 30 years in prison for injuring a police officer after crashing into his patrol vehicle. Jerry Henington, 38, pleaded guilty Monday to battery, fleeing, unauthorized use of property to facilitate a crime, two counts of criminal mischief, leaving the scene of a personal injury accident and resisting arrest. He was charged as an habitual offender.

The plea was part of an agreement reached by Janette McKinney, Henington’s attorney, with Bryan Sexton, chief deputy prosecutor.

Henington was arrested after Lowell police responded to a call concerning a hit and run accident at 5:50 p.m. June 14, according to a probable cause affidavit.

A Lowell police officer was on Center Drive when he encountered a driver in a damaged vehicle, according to the affidavit. The driver pointed out the direction the vehicle that hit him went.

The officer encountered the suspect vehicle, and the driver started to flee at speeds of over 50 mph on a residential street with a 25 mph speed limit, according to the affidavit.

The fleeing vehicle crashed into a police vehicle at the end of Bluff Drive, according to the affidavit.

The affidavit claims Lowell police officer Juvenal Rubio was targeted in the crash. Lt. Kris Spangler, a certified crash reconstruction expert, believes Henington purposefully steered into a certain point on Rubio’s occupied vehicle.

Rubio was taken to Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas in Rogers with multiple fractures and torn ligaments in one of his hands, the affidavit states.

The vehicle’s owner reported to police Henington was an acquaintance who had stolen the vehicle from her and she was filing a report with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, according to the affidavit.

Sexton told the judge he consulted with Lowell police and Rubio, and neither objected to the plea agreement. Sexton said Rubio currently is an officer with the Bentonville Police Department.

The judge sentenced Henington to 30 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections.

Henington was ordered to pay $30,000 in victim restitution. He also was ordered to be evaluated for substance abuse and mental health issues.

Henington