A combat veteran who was charged with felony battery after causing a multivehicle collision in 2016 while under the influence of drugs was sentenced to three years' probation Monday under the condition that he continues treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.
Trevor Lawrence Vise, 33, of Hot Springs, had pleaded guilty July 2 to second-degree battery, punishable by up to six years in prison, and a misdemeanor count of driving while intoxicated involving drugs, but sentencing was postponed until Monday to allow completion of a pre-sentencing report.
As a condition of his probation, Vise must continue PTSD classes he is participating in and take MADD and alcohol safety courses. In addition to probation, he was sentenced to one year in jail, with the entire sentence suspended, for the DWI count, fined $1,000 and ordered to pay $570 in court costs.
"There was a long-fought battle over this case, but the victims involved wanted (Vise) to get help," Deputy Prosecutor Trent Daniels said Monday, noting Vise was "a decorated military veteran."
Daniels said they had tried unsuccessfully to get his case transferred to a VA court and later tried different options. He said Vise was on multiple medications for his PTSD at the time of the wreck, but "there is no doubt he was impaired."
"He was in some serious combat situations and served in some of the larger battles," he said. "He was dealing with some deeper demons. He was a true combat veteran. Given his history, I just feel we have a duty to try to help him. We're hoping he'll be one of our success stories."
According to the affidavit, on Dec. 8, 2016, shortly before 4 p.m., Hot Springs police Officer Robert Plyler responded to a wreck involving multiple vehicles on the Lake Hamilton bridge in the 1200 block of Airport Road.
Upon his arrival, he made contact with the driver of a 2003 Honda Civic, identified as Vise, who was determined to have been at fault in the wreck. Vise was still in his seat belt and "unsure how the accident occurred," Plyler states, and noted Vise had slurred speech and kept falling asleep and had to be reawakened with a sternum rub.
Vise was transported by LifeNet to CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs where Plyler later spoke to him again in the emergency room. A registered nurse in the room indicated Vise had been given some medication to counteract the effects of drugs he had used previously so he was a little more alert.
The officer noted Vise was still slurring his speech but was starting to respond and feel the pain of his injuries. Plyler asked Vise what kind of drugs he had ingested before the wreck and Vise told him he used 20 milligrams of meth, a "large amount" of Xanax and unknown amounts of marijuana and morphine before driving.
A subpoena was obtained for lab results of urine and blood samples taken from Vise and the results reportedly indicated Vise tested positive for all four of the drugs he had reported using about 30 minutes before the wreck.
The affidavit notes that Boyd Heath, the driver of a 2014 Toyota Camry, who was struck head-on by Vise in the wreck, had suffered severe injuries to his brain and had to spend several days in the intensive care unit as a result.
Vise was arrested on Feb. 1, 2017, and later released on $5,000 bond. His case had been continued multiple times as he underwent treatment.
Local on 08/07/2018