Washington County deputy placed on leave after pedestrian killed

File photo
File photo


FAYETTEVILLE -- A Washington County sheriff's deputy is on leave after he was involved in an accident Friday in which a man walking on Huntsville Road was struck and killed, the office confirmed Tuesday.

Sgt. Wade Fortin is on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation into the fatal wreck, said Maj. Kenny Yates with the sheriff's office.

"We're waiting on Fayetteville to complete their reconstruction of the accident," Yates said Tuesday. "In the meantime, we've put him on administrative leave just to let him 'decompress' a little bit."

Yates said he has been with the sheriff's office since 2013 and this is the only incident he can recall where a deputy was involved in an accident in which another person died.

Sgt. Anthony Murphy with the Fayetteville Police Department said Tuesday the investigation is continuing.

Joshua B. Baucom, 40, was walking on East Huntsville Road near Hunt Lane when he was hit by the deputy's 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe just after 6 p.m., according to an Arkansas State Police report.

Baucom was taken to Washington Regional Medical Center, where he died of his injuries, according to Murphy.

Fortin was heading west on Huntsville Road when he hit Baucom, who was walking west, Murphy said.

Road and weather conditions were dry and clear at the time of the incident, according to state police.

Murphy said Tuesday that Fortin was on duty, but wasn't responding to a call at the time of the accident.

Murphy said the accident location is west of the intersection of Huntsville Road and Hunt Lane where Huntsville Road begins to curve to the northwest.

The accident was reported about an hour after sunset.

Murphy said there are no sidewalks in the area, and the nearest street light is more than 150 yards away.


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