Arkansas man arrested on charges tied to head-on collision that killed convertible driver

Alred
Alred

A Hot Springs man has been arrested on a misdemeanor charge of negligent homicide after an Arkansas State Police investigation into a fatal wreck earlier this year.

Roger Wayne Alred, 52, was taken into custody shortly after 1 p.m. Wednesday at his residence and also charged with driving left of center and no proof of liability insurance. He was later released on $25,000 bond and is set to appear Aug. 20 in Garland County District Court.

According to the probable cause affidavit, at around 5:45 a.m. June 15 Alred was northbound on Fox Pass driving a 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer when he veered left of center and collided head-on with a southbound 1996 Chrysler Sebring convertible driven by Steven Allen Reed, 48, of Hot Springs.

Reed was pronounced dead at the scene by Garland County Coroner Stuart Smedley while Alred and a passenger in Reed's vehicle, identified as Tracey Marie Steele, 46, of Mountain Pine, were injured and transported by LifeNet to CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs, according to a preliminary fatal crash summary from police.

The affidavit states a visible gouge mark on the roadway, later attributed to the Trailblazer, identified the point of impact as being in the southbound traffic lane. A tire scuff mark, attributed to the right front tire of the Trailblazer, indicated the vehicle rotated in a counterclockwise motion after the impact, coming to rest in the middle of the road.

It was noted the scuff mark originated in the northbound traffic lane and continued across the centerline into the southbound traffic lane. A scuff mark in the southbound lane attributed to the Sebring indicated the vehicle rotated counterclockwise after impact and came to rest on the southbound shoulder.

After analyzing the scuff and gouge marks and the damage to the vehicles, it was determined the collision occurred in the southbound lane and the Trailblazer had crossed the centerline.

It was later determined the insurance on the Trailblazer had expired prior to the collision. The affidavit notes Alred allegedly "operated a motor vehicle in a reckless or wanton disregard of the safety of others" resulting in a collision that caused the death of another person.

The fatal crash summary noted conditions were clear and dry at the time of the wreck.

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