By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Two women, one from Mablevale and a second from Helena, died in Troop D, and were among six people killed in weekend accidents statewide, according to reports from the Arkansas State Police.
A 24-year-old Mablevale woman died Sunday afternoon in an accident on Interstate-40 near the 263 mile marker after the 2001 Pontiac Firebird she was a passenger in collided with a 1991 Freightliner.
According to a report from ASP Troop D, Kerry L. Patton, of Mablevale, died at the scene of the accident after she was ejected from the vehicle she was a passenger when Joshua Plemmons, 25, of Little Rock lost control of the vehicle. The Plemmons vehicle was traveling westbound on I-40 when he crossed the median into oncoming traffic and struck the rear of the truck which was driven by Gloria D. Deleon. The Plemmons vehicle was then struck by a Toyota Tacoma driven by Oscar Lopez, 21, of Nashville, Tenn. Plemmons was airlifted from the scene of the accident and transported to the Regional Medical Center in Memphis. Lopez was also injured and was transported to Crittenden Memorial Hospital.
On Saturday, 39-year-old Terri N. Warfield of Helena, died from injuries suffered in an accident in Lee County. According to a report from Troop D, Warfield was driving north on Lee County Road 215 in a 1998 Ford Explorer when she lost control of the vehicle. She was ejected from the vehicle after it overturned and came to a rest in a ditch on the west side of the county road. A passenger in the Warfield vehicle, 41-year-old Brian Smith of Marianna, was transported to Helena Regional Medical Center where he was treated and released.
Also on Saturday, two teenagers and a man were killed in an accident on Arkansas Highway 310 near Letona after a 17-year old lost control of the Buick Century she was driving and collided with a Nissan driven by 40-year old Darek Madron of Romance. According to an ASP report, Kayla Hicks, 17, of Pangburn, lost control of her vehicle and crossed the center line striking the Madron vehicle. Madron, Sarah Haile, 18, of Pangburn and 17-year old Frankie Morgan of Rose Bud all died in the accident. Hicks, Brandon King, 17, a passenger in the Hicks vehicle and Randy Lusk, 33, who was riding with Madron, were also injured in the accident and were transported to White County hospitals.
Rain slickened roads were the contributing factor in an accident near Pine Bluff Saturday morning that took the life of 30-year old Cynthia Buckhanan of Pine Bluff. According to the ASP report, Buckhanan was driving south on U.S. Highway 79B when she lost control of the Dodge Stratus she was driving and struck a van driven by Darrell Bridges, 49, of Arkadelphia. Bridges and a passenger in his van, Terri Bridges were taken to a Pine Bluff hospital for treatment of injuries suffered in the collision.
A pair of Forrest City drivers also had to be treated on Saturday for injuries suffered in an accident at the intersection of North Division and Cook streets. According to the report from the Forrest City Police Department, 23-year old Karlton Griffin failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection and ran into a 1995 Chevrolet driven by Keisha Mitchell just after 5:30 p.m. Both Griffin and Mitchell were transported to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Forrest City where they were treated and released. Griffin received a citation for driving on a suspended driver's license.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
After announcing last week that the ballots would arrive on time for early voting to begin, the St. Francis County Election Commission is once more faced with late ballots.
According to information received this morning, the best-case scenario would have the ballots arriving Wednesday. State-wide early voting was to begin today.
"We're just sick about it," said Joe Young, chairman of the election commission, who added that the company which prints the ballots had received them in plenty of time.
"We did everything we could do, but it's beyond our control...We're just sitting on hold," Young said.
This time last week, commission members were confident that the ballots would arrive in a timely manner. It wasn't until Friday that they were notified there was a problem. The news produced a general feeling of helplessness.
"It doesn't do any good to get mad," said Judy Armstrong, election coordinator. She said she had gotten an e-mail saying the company's computer went down. The company is ES&S in Omaha, Neb.
"Their system evidently went down and then came back up and then the computer crashed," Armstrong said. "Hopefully they're going to have it done pretty quick, but I know we will not have ballots tomorrow (Tuesday)."
Armstrong also expressed some frustration.
"I have no control over their computer," she said. She also said this ballot has been complicated.
"This ballot has been difficult to do," she said. "It seems like there are more ballot styles than therehas ever been, because of the separating out of the precincts. This has been the hardest one I've ever done. We have, like, 2 ballot styles."
In the meantime, although there were attempts to inform voters of the delay, some people showed up today to early vote, only to be told there were no ballots.
"We had one come in at 8 o'clock," said St. Francis County Clerk Elizabeth Smith. She said several others had also come in.
She said so far, people have taken it in stride. "They've just accepted it."
Late-arriving ballots have caused early voting problems in St. Francis County in several elections.
By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
A group of young adults apparently intent on partying the weekend away at Memphis in May had their plans shelved by state police Friday night when their vehicle was stopped for a traffic violation near the Forrest City exit on Interstate 40.
The group might have been able to continue their journey had it not been for a video camera in the vehicle that had been used to record illegal drugs being hidden inside one of the vehicle's panels.
Six people from the Pine Bluff area, ranging in ages of 17 to 20, were riding in a Ford Expedition near the 245 mile marker on I-40 when a trooper with Arkansas State Police Troop D in Forrest City stopped their vehicle for speeding after observing the driver illegally passing other vehicles on the inside shoulder of I-40 near the median.
The trooper said as he approached the driver's side of the SUV, he noticed a strong odor of alcohol and burning marijuana. After escorting the driver, James Balmaz, 18, to the trooper's car, Balmaz registered .039 on a breathalyzer test, and told the trooper all of the occupants in the car were under 21.
After explaining to Balmaz why he had stopped the vehicle, Balmaz, according to the report, told the trooper he knew they were speeding because they were going to Memphis in May.
Two other state troopers were called to the scene to assist with the remaining passengers.
An open beer reportedly fell from the front passenger seat when troopers opened the door to question Geoffrey Martin, 20. Troopers also found Martin to be in possession of just less than one ounce of marijuana.
The lone female passenger, Anna Jeffcoat, 19, was observed by troopers as she allegedly attempted to hide prescription pills from troopers. Jeffcoat told police the pills "were everybodys."
Inside the vehicle, authorities found several unopened beers and empty beer cans along with numerous prescription medications of hydrocodone and xanax and some partially burned handrolled cigarettes.
In Jeffcoat's third-row seat is where troopers found the video camera. An officer turned the camera on and saw on the tape what appeared to be a bag of marijuana being hidden inside an area near the doorpost behind plastic.
Upon opening the area in question, the trooper found the plastic bag containing about three ounces of marijuana.
Balmaz is charged with driving under the influence, speeding, possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia, minor in possession of alcohol, drinking on the highway and possession of prescription drugs without a prescription.
The remaining five suspects, Martin, Jeffcoat, Donald Robinson, 18, Luke Clements, 18 and a 17-year-old juvenile, are each charged with possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia, minor in possession of alcohol, drinking on the highway and possession of prescription drugs without a prescription. Robinson is from Wabbaseka, and the other five are from Pine Bluff.
According to the St. Francis County Sheriff's Department, the
six are currently being held in the county jail and were scheduled
to be arraigned in St. Francis County District Court this afternoon.
John Heckler has filed as an independent candidate to face the Democratic challenger in November for the position of St. Francis County Sheriff and Collector.
Incumbent Dave Parkman faces George Cochran Sr., in the May 18 Democratic Primary to determine which man will face Heckler in the November General Election.
The filing period for independent candidates continues through
Monday, May 17.
The Forrest City City Council will hear second reading of an ordinance authorizing the construction of a humane shelter, when it meets in regular session Tuesday, May 4, at 7 p.m.
Other agenda items include a written policy regarding use of the sports complex, and a discussion of a proposed landscape buffer between commercial and residential property.
Also on the agenda are a request for rezoning on Izard Street, a variance request for building an enclosed garage on St. Andrews, and first reading of an ordinance to set hours to sell, serve or permit consumption of alcoholic beverages.
A representative of Communities of Opportunities is on the agenda, and representatives of civic clubs will discuss the civic center caterer.
In other meetings this week, the Forrest City Airport Commission will not meet tonight, and probably will not meet until its next regular meeting on June 7.
The Colt City Council is scheduled to meet this Thursday at 6 p.m.
Tamara Johnson, managing editor of the Times-Herald, took two awards for spot news coverage in the Arkansas Press Managing Editors Association competition.
The awards were announced Saturday.
Johnson took a first place in the Spot News Story category in the Small Market Newspaper division, for "Toddler Kidnapped." She also took a third place in the same category for "Hostage Standoff Ends Peacefully."
Contest entries were judged by AP-member journalists in Colorado.
There were also some other awards. Publisher Weston Lewey took a third place in Editorial Writing. The Times-Herald staff won a third place in News Coverage for "Storm Rolls Through Forrest City."
The Forrest City School Board will host a public hearing at
5:30 p.m. Monday, May 10, in the junior high school auditorium.
The hearing is for the board to address questions regarding campus
changes.