A Benton man was sentenced to one year of probation and community service after pleading guilty Wednesday to a misdemeanor count of negligent homicide in connection with a wreck last year that killed a Bonnerdale man.
Jared Nick Warford, 25, initially faced a felony count of negligent homicide, punishable by up to 20 years in prison, for the July 28, 2016, death of Arlis Fisher, 65, but Deputy Prosecutor Frank Poff agreed to amend it to a misdemeanor and Warford pleaded guilty during a hearing before Judge Ralph Ohm in Garland County District Court.
Warford was sentenced to one year in jail, with the full sentence suspended, and placed on one year of supervised probation to include two days of community service per week for the entire year. The community service stipulation will be "relaxed" in August 2018 if Warford is accepted to, and attends, an accredited veterinarian school. If he is not accepted, his community service would continue as before.
Warford was also fined $2,500, which he reportedly paid in full Wednesday, and ordered to pay a $25-a-month probation fee. He is also subject to random drug and alcohol screenings during his probation.
The victim's widow read a prepared victim impact statement at Wednesday's hearing before Warford was sentenced, but reportedly agreed to the plea arrangement.
"We had a pretty good case," Clay Janske, Warford's attorney, said Thursday. "He was a severe diabetic, but was set to get married and had been taking some diet pills" and had a diabetic episode causing him to black out while driving the day of the accident.
The felony charge was filed after blood and urine samples taken from Warford after the wreck reportedly tested positive for the presence of amphetamines or methamphetamine, albeit only .001 percent.
Janske said they were able to show the presence of the drugs was consistent with Warford having consumed the diet pills. "Of course, as a diabetic you could argue he should have consulted a doctor about taking the pills which he didn't do," he said.
Janske noted Warford was working as a veterinarian's assistant and was actually leaving a Glenwood stockyard where he had been working en route to a veterinarian clinic when the wreck occurred.
"He was planning to get something to eat when he started having issues which came out of nowhere and then he blacked out," Janske said. He was able to communicate to a witness that stopped for the wreck that he was diabetic and the witness had some peanut butter crackers he immediately gave him which helped him to recover.
He said the stipulations to relax on the community service were made because the veterinarian school he plans to attend is out of state which would hamper his ability to complete his requirements.
Janske said he and Poff "spent a long time" negotiating the plea agreement to satisfy all the parties involved.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on July 28, 2016, at 12:30 p.m., Arkansas State Police Trooper First Class Brian Burke was dispatched to a two-vehicle wreck in the 7000 block of Airport Road involving a 2010 Chevrolet pickup, driven by Warford, that was eastbound and collided with a westbound 2003 Ford pickup driven by Fisher.
Warford crossed the centerline and it appeared Fisher maneuvered his vehicle trying to avoid him when they collided. After the collision, Warford's vehicle caught fire and spread to Fisher's vehicle, and Fisher never got out and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Warford was transported to CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs where the blood and urine samples were taken and sent to the state crime lab in Little Rock. When questioned, Warford said he was headed from Glenwood to Hot Springs and "was fine and the next thing he remembered was his windows being busted out."
He said he was able to cut off his seat belt and exit his pickup. He told Burke he was headed to McDonald's to get lunch and denied using any drugs or alcohol prior to the wreck. He disclosed he was diabetic and his "level was low."
Burke received the blood results on Jan. 1, 2017, which indicated the presence of methamphetamine and interviewed Warford again on March 3. Warford stated the only prescription medication he was on was insulin, but he was taking over-the-counter diet pills he purchased from GNC. He couldn't explain the presence of meth in his system.
Based on the drug tests, a warrant was issued for Warford's arrest and he was taken into custody on April 5 and later released on $5,000 bond.
Local on 12/15/2017