HOT SPRINGS -- A parolee with a lengthy criminal history was arrested at a hospital Monday hours after police said he ran from the scene of a four-car wreck he caused in the 6100 block of Albert Pike Road in Hot Springs.
Shannon Mitchell Ray, 33, of Royal was arrested around 4:30 p.m. on a felony count of leaving the scene of an accident involving personal injury or death, punishable by up to six years in prison, and a misdemeanor count of driving on a suspended driver's license.
Ray, who was also cited for failure to yield the right of way and had a warrant for failure to appear in court, remained in custody Tuesday on a zero bond parole hold.
According to a probable cause affidavit, around 11:45 a.m. Monday, Arkansas State Police Cpl. Michael Reed was dispatched to a four-vehicle collision on Albert Pike Road at its intersection with Oak Grove Road.
Reed arrived shortly before noon and was told one of the drivers involved had fled on foot. He was unable to find any witnesses who saw the driver flee.
His investigation showed that the vehicles involved included a black 2006 GMC Envoy that was westbound on Albert Pike and a white 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe that was eastbound on Albert Pike, along with a white 2005 Chevrolet Silverado that was stopped on Oak Grove waiting to turn onto Albert Pike and a white 2022 Chevrolet Camaro that was stopped behind the Silverado.
The driver of the Envoy, eventually identified as Ray, made a left turn into the path of the Tahoe, which struck the right side of the Envoy, causing it to rotate clockwise toward the Silverado, police said. The left rear of the Envoy struck the front of the Silverado, with the impact causing debris to strike and break the windshield of the Camaro behind it, police said.
The Tahoe traveled south off the road and struck a storage building at the corner of Oak Grove and Albert Pike, the affidavit said. The female driver of the Tahoe was transporting two children, ages 1 and 2, at the time of the crash and later complained of having chest pains and pain in her wrist.
The driver of the Envoy fled the scene, but four hours later, Reed received a tip that Ray was in the waiting room at CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs.
Reed went to the hospital and spoke with Ray, who said he was operating the Envoy at the time of the crash, police said. He stated that he didn't know why he fled the scene and "doesn't remember much of anything," police said. He was taken into custody at the hospital and booked into the jail around 8:30 p.m.