Flags at half-staff to mourn deputy

Gov. Asa Hutchinson has ordered the Arkansas flag to be lowered to half-staff in tribute to the memory of a Drew County sheriff's deputy who died in the line of duty early Thursday morning outside of Monticello.

Deputy Timothy Braden, 29, of McGehee was killed shortly after 1:30 a.m. Thursday when his patrol car crashed into a tree during a high-speed pursuit on Barkada Road northwest of Monticello.

Hutchinson ordered Friday that the flag be flown at half-staff until Sunday, when funeral services for Braden will be held.

Arkansas State Police said Braden radioed Monticello Police Department dispatch Thursday morning to say he was attempting to stop a Dodge Charger, but the driver -- later identified as 24-year-old Samuel Vincent of Monticello -- refused to stop.

As they drove into a sharp curve about 4 miles down Barkada Road, both vehicles left the roadway and crashed into a tree and power pole.

Braden was unresponsive when deputies arrived on the scene and was taken by ambulance to Drew Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 3 a.m.

Vincent was taken into custody and is charged with first-degree murder, fleeing, possession of marijuana with the purpose to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia, all felonies.

State Desk on 08/26/2017

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