Little Rock officer Zachary Hardman has been cleared of any wrongdoing for his involvement in pursuing a driver during a September chase that ended with one pedestrian killed, police said Friday.
Jordan Matthew Vandenberghe, 24, of Roland is charged with first-degree murder after he lost control of a stolen Nissan Maxima on Sept. 15 and crashed in the 10000 block of Chicot Road while fleeing law enforcement, causing the vehicle to flip and fatally strike a pedestrian and seriously injure another in a nearby sidewalk, police said.
Trendia Horton, 39, was pronounced dead at the scene. Her daughter, 18-year-old Nahtali Horton, was transported to CHI St. Vincent Infirmary for treatment.
According to a police statement, dash-cam video provided evidence to show Hardman wasn't near Vandenberghe and could not have caused the crash.
Vandenberghe also faces charges of first-degree battery, fleeing, theft of property and theft by receiving, according to court records.
He has a review hearing scheduled for Nov. 17 in Little Rock District Court.
Read Saturday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.