Arkansas man drunk in fatal I-40 crash is sentenced to 26 years

David Thomason
David Thomason

A White County man has been sentenced in Franklin County Circuit Court to 26 years in prison after pleading guilty to killing a person while driving drunk on Interstate 40 last October and injuring another.

David Ray Thomason, 31, of Bradford pleaded guilty to charges of negligent homicide while driving drunk, for which he was sentenced to 20 years in prison, and to aggravated assault, for which he was sentenced to six years. The sentences will run consecutively. He also pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated and was ordered to serve one day in the county jail.

Testing showed Thomason had a blood-alcohol level of 0.12 percent. A person with a blood-alcohol content of 0.08 percent is considered to be intoxicated in Arkansas.

Two other counts of aggravated assault, two counts of failure to stop after an accident with injury or death, fleeing on foot, and reckless driving were dismissed, according to court records.

Thomason was accused of hitting a pickup and camper occupied by Guy and Patsy Holden, both 68, of Chouteau, Okla. Their pickup overturned, killing Guy Holden and injuring Patsy Holden.

Thomason also was accused of hitting another pickup with two occupants, both of whom were injured.

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