Special judge named to hear theft charges in Yell County

DANVILLE -- A special judge is to hear the theft cases involving the former director of Yell County Emergency Medical Services and his wife.

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Sidney Lee Ward, 70, and the agency's former bookkeeper, Donna Ward, 42, both of Belleville, were charged earlier this year after a state audit identified $680,175 in unauthorized or undocumented payments.

Chief Justice Howard Brill has appointed Circuit Judge Brad Karren of Benton County to hear the Wards' cases in the 15th Judicial Circuit in Danville.

The appointment, filed last week, came after a request by 15th Circuit Judge Jerry Don Ramey, who noted that he and that circuit's two other judges had recused themselves in the cases.

Sidney Ward is charged with six counts of felony theft of property in an amount of $25,000 or more. Donna Ward is charged with three counts of felony theft of property in an amount of $25,000 or more, and three counts of felony theft of property in an amount less than $25,000 but more than $5,000. She also is charged with felony counts of computer fraud, unlawful acts regarding computers and tampering with physical evidence.

The Wards were arrested in January after the Arkansas Legislative Audit released a report saying that the two had received $680,175 in unauthorized or undocumented payments from Jan. 1, 2010, through Aug. 7, 2015. The report said Sidney Ward was overpaid $528,646 during that period and that Donna Ward was overpaid $119,686. Her dependents also improperly benefited from $31,843 in health-insurance premiums, according to the audit.

The Wards were suspended from their jobs Aug. 7 and fired Oct. 27.

State Desk on 05/12/2016

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