Man Pleads Not Guilty To Murder Charge

A Prairie Grove man has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder after an altercation last month, according to records in Washington County Circuit Court.

William Garland Smith, 75, of 16181 S. Applehill Road in Prairie Grove Township, was arrested Dec. 18, 2018, by Washington County Sheriff’s Office in connection to first-degree murder, a Class Y felony.

He pleaded not guilty during arraignment proceedings Jan. 16.

According to a probable cause report, the sheriff’s office received a call about a gunshot victim in the Prairie Grove area. A witness, Steve McGhee, told deputies he was traveling on South Applehill Road when he was flagged down by Shane Crawford, who said he had been shot. McGhee said he drove Crawford to Meade Avenue in Lincoln and when he got there the victim had slumped over in the vehicle.

McGhee called 911 and said he saw the victim had a gunshot wound in his back.

Central Emergency Medical Service took Crawford, 62, to Washington Regional Medical Center where he died, according to the report. The victim’s body has been sent to the Arkansas State Medical Examiner’s office for autopsy.

According to the sheriff’s report, deputies and investigators went to the victim’s last known address on Applehill Road and there encountered Smith. The report says Smith made “spontaneous statements” that he shot a man. Deputies detained Smith but did not question him at the time because of his level of intoxication, the report said.

During an interview with investigators the next day, the report said Smith admitted to shooting the victim in the back with a .22 revolver after a physical altercation.

Smith is free on a $250,000 bond. His trial is set for March 25.

Smith