Arrest made in fatal accident

By Kate Ward

Posted: January 26, 2012 at 2:49 p.m.

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FAYETTEVILLE — Police arrested a Springdale man Wednesday night in connection with a fatal accident that happened last year.

Randy Sampson, 38, of 4101 Miller Drive in Springdale faces a felony charge of negligent homicide.

A.C. Brown, 24, of 1431 Ardmore Lane in Centerton died as a result of the Nov. 18, 2011 accident.

Sampson was legally intoxicated when he drove his 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser the wrong way on Interstate 540, according to an arrest affidavit issued Jan. 20 by the Washington County Circuit Court. He reportedly struck a 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt driven by Brown. Sampson’s blood alcohol level was 0.19, according to the report. In Arkansas, drivers with an alcohol content at or more than 0.08 are legally considered intoxicated.

The accident happened at 3:21 a.m. in the northbound lane of Interstate 540, south of U.S. 412 near the Watkins Street overpass. Arkansas State Police Cpl. Mark Meadows said Sampson was driving southbound in the northbound lane when he collided with Brown. The investigation reported that Brown veered right in an attempt to avoid Sampson, but was struck head-on.

Brown was transported to the Washington Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 4:45 a.m.

Sampson was seriously injured and taken to the Northwest Medical Center in Springdale. He was later transferred to St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, Mo.

He was arrested Wednesday and taken to the Washington County Detention Center, but was released within about 30 minutes on $25,000 bond.

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