Malvern man arrested for allegedly striking pedestrian, leaving scene

A Malvern man was arrested early Saturday after he allegedly struck a pedestrian while driving late Friday and left the scene without stopping.

Robert Lee Pitts, 55, turned himself in at the Hot Springs Department and was formally charged shortly before 3 a. m. with leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, a felony punishable by up to six years in prison.

Pitts, who lists no prior felony history, was later released on $ 2,500 bond and is set to appear May 15 in Garland County District Court.

According to reports, police were dispatched to the 3000 block of Central Avenue around 10: 45 p. m. in reference to a hit and run accident involving a pedestrian and upon arrival found the victim, Paul Ray Raines, age not listed, lying on the pavement in the inside northbound lane of traffic.

The victim, who was unresponsive, was transported by Lifenet to St. Joseph’s Mercy Health Center where his condition was not known Monday.

Witnesses stated a white Ford F- 150 pickup that was traveling south on Central struck the victim as he attempted to cross west to east near Sonic Drive- Inn. They noted the pick- up continued south on Central without stopping after hitting the victim. HSPD detective Les Jessup, who was working security at Oaklawn Racetrack, 2705 Central Ave., reviewed security footage from Oaklawn and noted a vehicle matching the description of the suspect’s pickup leaving Oaklawn at 10: 42 p. m. and heading south on Central.

Jessup noted a female passenger in the vehicle that he recognized and was able to locate in the gaming area at Oaklawn. She stated her husband, identified as Pitts, had been driving her white 2008 Ford pickup.

She called Pitts on her phone and spoke to him briefly and then gave the phone to Jessup. Pitts allegedly admitted to Jessup he was involved in an accident and had left the scene and gone home.

HSPD Sgt. Kenny Kizer went to Pitts’ residence in Malvern and noted the pickup was parked outside and had visible damage consistent with having been recently involved in an accident.

Pitts agreed to come in for questioning and again made a spontaneous comment to Kizer that he was involved in an accident earlier near Oaklawn and left without stopping.

He later gave a written statement admitting to his involvement, claiming he struck “an unknown object” in the road and continued on without stopping.

• A local man was charged early Sunday after allegedly calling 911 numerous times without having an emergency.

Ronald C. Collins, 34, of 205 Spencer St., was taken into custody at his residence shortly before 6: 30 a. m. and charged with communicating a false alarm, a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and/ or a $ 1,000 fine.

According to reports, HSPD officer Anthony Halpin responded to the suspect’s residence after Collins called 911 29 times between 4 and 6: 15 a. m. and would not respond to the 911 dispatchers when they asked for information about the nature of his emergency.

The dispatchers noted he would “just breath into the phone” or would claim there was someone inside his residence. Halpin noted he was parked outside the victim’s residence from 5: 15 to 6 a. m. and didn’t see anything.

The report notes Collins was given several warnings not to call 911 unless it was an emergency but continued to do so.