Driver who killed pedestrian sentenced to 12 years
A Hot Springs man who pleaded guilty to fatally striking a pedestrian with his car while intoxicated last summer was sentenced to 12 years in prison Tuesday in Garland County Circuit Court.
James Lee Goff, 27, of Hot Springs, who was set to stand trial Thursday, pleaded guilty to a felony count of negligent homicide and a misdemeanor count of driving while intoxicated, first offense, and was sentenced to the maximum of 20 years in prison, with eight years suspended, fined $500 and ordered to pay $570 in court costs.
Goff, who had no prior felony history, was initially arrested the night of Aug. 19, 2015, and charged with DWI and violation of a pedestrian’s right of way in a crosswalk, after striking the victim, William Baker, 77, of Malvern, who was crossing the street between the Crosswalk
Bar and Oaklawn Racing and Gaming in the 2700 block of Central Avenue.
Baker was transported to CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs with severe injuries and was pronounced dead at 12:30 a.m. the next day. Goff was subsequently charged with the negligent homicide count.
According to the affidavit, on Aug. 19, shortly after 9:30 p.m., Hot Springs police Officer 1st Class Randy Rodgers and Sgt. Eric Stockwell responded to a report of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle and made contact with the driver of a 1996 Acura, identified as Goff, and asked if he had been drinking after noting an odor of intoxicants on his person.
Goff stated he “had a couple of beers earlier.” Rodgers administered three field sobriety tests and Goff failed all three, although he claimed he had knee problems before attempting the one-leg stand test.
A portable breath test was administered to Goff and he registered 0.364 blood alcohol content, more than four times the legal limit. Goff was taken into custody and taken to the Garland County Detention Center where a second blood alcohol test was administered, with a result of 0.318, almost four times the limit.
Goff was initially held without bond, but was later released on bonds totaling $61,000. His bond was later revoked and he was rearrested on Oct. 4 and had remained in custody in lieu of $250,000 bond since then.