Northwest Arkansas teen charged with negligent homicide in fatal crash

Andrew Scheffler
Andrew Scheffler

A Northwest Arkansas man accused of running a red light and causing the fatal crash that killed a 26-year-old motorist in Rogers was charged Friday with negligent homicide.

Police arrested Andrew Scheffler, 19, of Rogers after alleging he was one of the drivers in a deadly crash Wednesday evening at the intersection of South 8th Street and West Price Lane. Authorities said he ran a red light and hit Lindsey Frame of Rogers as she was driving three other passengers, including a minor.

Scheffler initially faced several lesser felonies before prosecutors charged him Friday with negligent homicide, a felony with a 30-year maximum sentence.

The wreck trapped passengers in the heavily damaged Pontiac Grand Am, and emergency crews evacuated them by cutting off the car’s roof, authorities said. The passengers were brought to local hospitals for injuries ranging from a broken femur to major internal injuries.

Frame died at a hospital after suffering fatal injuries, according to state and local police.

A witness told police Scheffler jumped into his car and attempted to drive off, according to the latest affidavit.

Scheffler reportedly told police he was “on acid” and began physically fighting with officers when he jumped into the driver's seat of a police car, court records said.

He declined to answer officers’ questions about the crash, telling them "I’m still lost in my mind on acid," according to a Rogers Police Department report.

Court records show that during a police interview, Scheffler told an officer he had taken two doses of acid and said he had been going through a difficult time, citing a recent breakup with a girlfriend.

Court records show Scheffler has pending charges stemming from a felony drug arrest last year in Benton County.

Scheffler remained in the Benton County jail Friday with bond set at $150,000 for the latest charge, which included a handful of misdemeanor infractions.

Online court records did not list an attorney defending him.

A court date is set for Feb. 25.

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