Hot Springs Police say driver who rolled SUV, then fled, sought in earlier wreck

Hot Springs firefighters work the scene of a single-vehicle rollover wreck in the 100 block of East Grand Avenue Tuesday morning. - Photo by Lance Porter of The Sentinel-Record
Hot Springs firefighters work the scene of a single-vehicle rollover wreck in the 100 block of East Grand Avenue Tuesday morning. - Photo by Lance Porter of The Sentinel-Record

A Hot Springs woman who was arrested Tuesday morning is accused of being involved in a hit-and-run crash with another car before hitting a tree and rolling her vehicle over, according to police.

Martha Parent Baudoin, 59, was taken into custody shortly after 10:30 a.m. and charged with felony DWI, punishable by up to six years in prison, and a misdemeanor count of leaving the scene of a property damage accident, punishable by up to one year in jail.

Baudoin, who was also cited for careless and prohibited driving, improper backing of a vehicle and refusal to submit to a breath test, was being held on a $2,500 bond and was set to appear Wednesday in Garland County District Court.

According to the probable cause affidavit, at around 10:42 a.m., Hot Springs police Cpl. Richard Nunez and Officer Nicolas Cato responded to a vehicle rollover in the 100 block of East Grand Avenue and found an SUV on its side, but the driver was "not in the area."

A witness said the driver, later identified as Baudoin, had fled from the vehicle running toward Cash Saver, 800 Malvern Ave. Officers located Baudoin there and brought her back to the wreck scene where she was checked by LifeNet personnel for injuries, the affidavit states.

Nunez spoke to Baudoin inside the ambulance and reportedly noticed a strong odor of alcohol coming from her person. He asked her if she had anything to drink and her only response was "it's 9 o'clock," according to police

She reportedly refused to provide a breath sample using the portable Breathalyzer and was then transported by LifeNet to National Park Medical Center where she provided a blood and urine sample.

Police said that, prior to wrecking on East Grand Avenue, Baudoin had been involved in a hit-and-run collision with another vehicle at the intersection of Malvern Avenue and Cones Road that involved property damage only.

A check of her history reportedly revealed she was previously charged with DWI, first offense, on June 28, 2013; DWI, second offense, on Feb. 24, 2014; and DWI, third offense, on March 3, 2016, all in Louisiana.

Upcoming Events