PIGGOTT -- Two people will be charged today with first-degree murder after they led police on a two-state chase that resulted in the death of a motorist, Clay County Sheriff Terry Miller said.
Robert Huffines, 36, of Holcomb, Mo., and Lea Mamino, 32, of Collinsville, Ill., will be arraigned in Clay County District Court. The two also face felony fleeing charges in Greene County, where they were held in the county jail in Paragould before being taken Monday evening to the Clay County jail in Piggott.
Police said Huffines and Mamino stole a vehicle in Collinsville, Ill., and led police on a chase from Kennett, Mo., through Campbell, Mo., before reaching Rector at about 10:35 a.m. Sunday.
Miller said Clay County Deputy Terry Burdin spotted the vehicle and joined the chase.
Police said Sadine Dixon, 84, of Piggott pulled off Pine Street in Rector to let the police vehicles pass, but then pulled back onto the road and was struck by Burdin's vehicle.
"She thought all the emergency vehicles had passed," Miller said. "She got back on the road and Terry had no place to go."
Miller said Burdin's vehicle crashed into the back of Dixon's vehicle.
The crash killed Dixon. Burdin was taken to a hospital where he was treated and released. He is on paid administrative leave pending an Arkansas State Police investigation, Miller said.
Police continued chasing Huffines into Greene County, where he lost control of his car and drove into a concrete embankment at a Walgreens store at the intersection of U.S. 49 and U.S. 412 in Paragould, authorities said.
State law allows authorities to charge a person with first-degree murder if, while committing a felony or fleeing police immediately after committing the felony, he causes the death of someone.
State Desk on 10/04/2016