By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Troopers in Troop D of the Arkansas State Police in Forrest City were kept busy over the holiday weekend with several reports including one fatal accident in St. Francis County, and a fatal shooting in Woodruff County.
The official holiday schedule lasted from 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 3, until midnight Sunday, July 7.
The fatal accident took place Friday afternoon, July 5, when a Tacoma, Wash., man died in a train-car collision.
According to the report by the Arkansas State Police, Keith A. Winters, 35, of Tacoma, was driving a 2001 Honda south on St. Francis County Road 219, near Dodson's Corner in the Beck Spur area. The accident occurred at about 3:45 p.m.
The report stated that Winters was traveling at a high rate of speed toward the railroad tracks, and was struck by a Burlington Northern Santa Fe train which was traveling west. Winters died instantly.
There was no one else in the vehicle.
A shooting was reported Thursday, at around 6 p.m.
The State Police reported that Kiminstik Myton, 26 , of Cotton Plant, was among a group of individuals standing outside a liquor store in Cotton Plant, when he reportedly flashed a gang sign in the direction of another man.
The other man, Renaldo Smith, 19, of North Little Rock, became engaged in a physical altercation. Smith allegedly fired two shots from a large-caliber handgun, killing Myton.
Moments later, Cotton Plant residents led troopers to an area south of the liquor store, in the direction Smith had fled. Smith was spotted trying to enter a residence. He fled and some neighborhood residents tried to follow him.
Smith reportedly fired twice at the neighbors, with both shots striking a mobile home where a teenage girl and six young children were staying. No one was injured by those gunshots.
The area where Smith was seen fleeing was sealed off, and an ASP SWAT team began a sweep through the area shortly before midnight. An ASP helicopter was also called in.
Smith was eventually spotted and ordered to stop by Trooper David West. Smith kept running and West fired two shots, hitting Smith once.
Smith was taken to a Little Rock hospital with a single gunshot wound to his abdomen.
An investigation of the events is still under way.
According to Lt. Tommy Wicker of Troop D, headquartered in Forrest City, there were 1,312 trooper-vehicle contacts over the long weekend, which included vehicle assistance stops.
There were 347 speeding citations, 27 DWI arrests, 132 safety belt arrests, 14 child restraint arrests and 45 other hazardous arrests. There were 54 criminal arrests, and 20 accidents were investigated.
By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
A preliminary report by the Federal Bureau of Investigations shows that while the national crime rate rose slightly in 2001, the Arkansas crime rate appeared to fall a few percentage points.
The local numbers seem to generally follow that downward trend.
According to the report released by the FBI, the nation as a whole had a two percent increase in crimes covered in the study from 2000 to 2001, the first increase since 1991. The report tracks murders, rapes, aggravated assaults, thefts, motor vehicle thefts, robberies and burglaries in each state, but the only city in Arkansas listed so far is Little Rock.
Statistics provided by the Forrest City Police Department compared to the Little Rock information seem to indicate that both cities saw lower numbers in rapes, aggravated assaults and burglaries. The amount of robberies reported were up in both cities from the previous year.
The differences become evident in the murder and car theft numbers.
While the statistics are not exact, Little Rock experienced an increase in murders and car thefts. Forrest City, according to the numbers, remained steady with three murders reported in 2000 and four in 2001. There were 70 car thefts reported in each year.
As a whole, the Little Rock total number of crimes dropped 4 percent, compared to Forrest City, which saw a 9 percent decrease, according to the FCPD information.
Police departments around the state had varying results. West Memphis' crime rate rose from 1,585 to 2,281 last year, while El Dorado's dropped from 1,615 to 1,543 in 2001, and Fayetteville had murders fall from six in 2000 to none in 2001, but an increase in theft, burglary and assault reports.
"Crime seems to run in circles," said Little Rock Police Sgt. Terry Hastings. "Why, is not something we can put our fingers on."
The final FBI report with a statewide breakdown will be released this fall.
A nightclub owner was arrested on a weapons charge after midnight Friday.
St. Francis County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy H.N. Green said Stanley Hurst, 59, 224 N. Gorman St., Forrest City, is charged with carrying a weapon. He was arrested inside his club on County Road 224 about 2 a.m. Saturday.
Green said it is illegal to carry a gun inside a club, and Hurst had been warned prior to his arrest.
Hurst was scheduled to appear in Forrest City District Court this afternoon.
After midnight on Sunday, deputies were called to the club in reference to a stabbing incident that reportedly occurred in the parking lot.
According to the report, Renardo Parchman, 27, of Palestine, told police two subjects jumped him in the parking lot. Parchman reportedly was cut on the face and transported by ambulance to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Forrest City where he was treated and released.
Parchman, who had outstanding warrants for his arrest, was taken into custody by the Forrest City Police Department.
Several meetings are scheduled throughout St. Francis County this week.
The Forrest City School Board will meet at 5:30 p.m. today. Also meeting today are the Widener City Council at 6 p.m., the Madison City Council at 7 p.m. and the Hughes City Council at 7 p.m.
On Tuesday, the Advertising and Promotions Commission will meet at 2 p.m. There will be a Quorum Court Personnel Committee meeting at 6 p.m. Other Tuesday meetings include the East Arkansas Community College Board, the Palestine City Council and the Caldwell City Council, all at 7 p.m. the Hughes School Board will meet at 7:30 p.m.
The Forrest City Civic Center Commission will meet at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
On Thursday, the Colt City Council is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m., and the Wheatley City Council is set to meet at 7 p.m.