BENTONVILLE — A Bella Vista man was arrested on numerous charges Friday in connection with a Friday car crash that left one man dead.
Brandon Keith Whitehead, 39, of 41 Sheneman Drive in Bella Vista, was arrested Friday in connection with felony negligent homicide, two felony counts of battery in the second degree, felony leaving the scene of personal injury accident, misdemeanor driving while intoxicated and misdemeanor reckless driving.
According to an accident summary from the Arkansas State Police, Whitehead and his passenger, Robert Keeler, were northbound on Arkansas 279 when Whitehead lost control of his vehicle while negotiating a curve and struck the front end of another vehicle. Both vehicles stopped in the northbound traffic lane, according to the preliminary report.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Keeler, 32, of Bentonville was pronounced dead at the scene.
Cpl. Desmond Benton with the Arkansas State Police responded to a call at 7:30 p.m. Friday concerning the accident, south of Bella Vista.
A Bella Vista police officer was already at the scene and told the trooper the driver of the hit-and-run vehicle had left the scene of the accident, according to documents. Another officer located the driver north of the accident scene and police identified Whitehead as the driver.
Whitehead was described as intoxicated by the officer and the trooper was told Whitehead was going to be transported to Northwest Medical Center-Bentonville, according to the affidavit.
James McCutcheon, 43, and Rachael McCutcheon, 37, both of Centerton, were in the other vehicle and were later transported to Mercy Hospital in Rogers, according to the affidavit. James McCutcheon was the driver.
According to the affidavit, Cpl. Ray Triplett with the State Police, talked with Whitehead and the hospital and a blood sample was also obtained, according to the affidavit.
The affidavit states Benton also made contact with Whitehead and described him as having very red, watery eyes, slurred speech and a strong odor of intoxicants.
Whitehead told Benton he had four large shots of whiskey prior to the accident at Keeler’s house, according to the affidavit. Whitehead claimed he was driving Keeler to a friend’s house because Keeler was too drunk to drive, according the affidavit.
Whitehead said he lost control of his vehicle on the wet pavement and traveled into the northbound lane before hitting another vehicle, according to the affidavit.
According to documents, Whitehead said he went to check on Keeler, who was on the passenger side of the vehicle, and other people were also trying to help. Whitehead said he started directing traffic and later left the scene to go call for help, according to the affidavit.
Benton then asked Whitehead if he had a cellphone on him at the time of the accident and Whitehead responded he did, but could not explain to the trooper why he did not use his cellphone at the scene to call for help, according to the affidavit.
Benton also asked Whitehead whether he had too much to drink to be driving, according to court documents. Whitehead told Benton he felt fine, but he should not have driven the car, according to the affidavit.
Whitehead was transported from the hospital to the Benton County Jail.
He was being held Saturday in the Benton County Jail on $30,000 bond.