A judge has declared a mistrial Friday after a jury said it could not reach a verdict for a man charged in a fatal shooting last year in Little Rock that started after he and another driver became embroiled in a road-rage altercation.
Pulaski County Judge Leon Johnson ordered the mistrial about 9:45 a.m. on the jury's second day of deliberations in the trial of 29-year-old Chris Schnarr, who faced a charge of first-degree murder. The jury deliberated four hours Thursday and returned to begin again at 9 a.m. Friday.
After jurors returned to the courtroom from the deliberations room, Johnson asked whether they thought they could reach a consensus with more time. One said "no," and several others shook their heads.
Johnson then polled them individually and all agreed they did not believe it was possible to reach a verdict.
Schnarr fatally shot Arista "AJ" Aldridge, 45, on May 11, 2013, after the two drivers narrowly avoided a collision as Schnarr exited Interstate 30 onto Sixth Street in downtown Little Rock.
Schnarr testified Thursday that he had the right of way and Aldridge went through a yield sign, but Aldridge was enraged and followed him onto Sixth Street, blocked him in and got out of his vehicle. Schnarr said he was scared and opened fire only after Aldridge approached, started to walk away and then turned back, ignoring warnings to leave.
Prosecutors said what happened didn't justify Schnarr shooting Aldridge, arguing that he could have backed up and driven away or called police.
Three jurors declined to comment on the deliberations as they left the courthouse.
Deputy prosecutor Robbie Jones said a retrial date is likely to be set later Friday morning.
See Saturday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for more on this story.