LITTLE ROCK — Authorities have made an arrest in a hit-and-run in Little Rock's Hillcrest neighborhood that left a woman with serious injuries.
Police records show Steve John Kissinger, 33, of Searcy, was arrested at 2:50 p.m. Thursday on charges of failure to stop after an accident with injury, careless driving and failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
Kissinger on Friday made a brief appearance by video in Little Rock District Court's traffic division, where Judge Vic Fleming set bail at $25,000.
A family member of 61-year-old victim Lois Sandusky said he was notified Thursday of the arrest. Fleming said he approved a warrant for Kissinger's arrest Thursday afternoon.
Sandusky's son, William Mauldin, said the family is grateful for the police work that led to an arrest. He said his mother is improving and is out of the intensive care unit.
"She's a little bit better since the accident, but it's going to be a long road to recovery," Mauldin said by phone.
An innocent plea was also entered for Kissinger during the hearing. The case, because it is a felony, will be forwarded to Pulaski County Circuit Court.
Kissinger spoke only briefly, when Fleming began the proceeding by asking him how he was doing.
"Not so good," Kissinger replied.
Police say the hit-and-run happened about 9:30 a.m. as Sandusky was in the crosswalk on Beechwood Street at Kavanaugh Boulevard.
According to an accident report, a white Ford 150 pickup turned right onto Beechwood, striking Sandusky and running over her with the front left tire. Police say the driver stopped then before looking in the mirror and pulling forward, running over Sandusky a second time with the rear left tire.
A passerby reportedly then intervened, asking the driver "what he was doing."
"[The driver] then sped away from the scene south on Beechwood and disappeared into the neighborhood," police wrote in the report.
Sandusky was said to be in stable condition in the intensive care unit the day after the accident.
A police spokesman said investigators were able to develop Kissinger as a suspect using partial license plate information from witnesses at the scene.