LITTLE ROCK — A Louisiana man arrested after a fatal crash on Cantrell Road last week has been charged with negligent homicide after blood tests found traces of marijuana and a prescription depressant, police said.
Demeteius Brown, 29, of Lake Charles, La., who was already being held at the Pulaski County jail because police said he was carrying a weapon at the time of the crash, was charged with negligent homicide Tuesday morning, an affidavit states.
About 2:23 p.m. May 23, police said, Brown was driving a Chrysler 300 west on Cantrell Road when his vehicle crossed the centerline and struck head-on a Buick LeSabre traveling in the opposite direction.
A Honda CRV, driven by Maria Rosario, 40, of Adona, was traveling west and attempted to avoid the crash. The Honda struck the other vehicles and ended up in a ditch on the south side of the roadway, police said.
Rosario was killed in the crash.
The driver of the Buick, Charles Crockett, 79, of Little Rock, was taken to UAMS Medical Center where he was admitted in critical condition.
Crockett’s condition was not available Wednesday.
At the scene, officers arrested Brown, who “appeared unsteady on his feet and had slurred speech,” a crash report states. Brown “also had a slow and lethargic movement and a slow response when asked questions,” the affidavit states.
Because Brown refused a breathalyzer test at the scene, officers obtained a warrant to obtain a blood sample, which was taken the same day.
Police also reported finding a 9mm Beretta pistol on him.
On May 24, officers executed a search warrant for the crash data recorder on Brown’s vehicle. According to information retrieved from the recorder, the vehicle was traveling at 85 mph in the 50 mph zone and did not brake until 1.5 seconds before impact, the affidavit states.
On Friday, the results from the blood test were relayed to the Police Department from the Arkansas State Crime Lab. The blood “showed positive for cannabis and benzodiazepine,” the affidavit states.
Benzodiazepines are prescribed to treat a variety of ailments, including depression, anxiety and insomnia, and are sold under names including Xanax, Valium, Klonopin and Restoril. The drugs “act as hypnotics in high doses, [anti-anxiety agents] in moderate doses and sedatives in low doses,” according to information provided on the Drug Enforcement Administration’s website.
Officers obtained the negligent-homicide warrant on Tuesday and served it the same day, records show.
Brown was held at the Pulaski County jail Wednesday in lieu of a $2 million bond.
Arkansas, Pages 9 on 05/31/2012