Crash kills pastor,
granddaughter
A longtime Little Rock pastor and his granddaughter died from injuries suffered in a two-vehicle collision Tuesday on Interstate 30 in Little Rock, according to a preliminary Arkansas State Police fatality accident report.
David Harris, 64, and Maci Harris, 10, both of Little Rock, were passengers in one of the vehicles.
The accident occurred about 8:20 p.m. Tuesday in the westbound lanes of Interstate 30 near Scott Hamilton Drive, the report states.
Paul Harris, 42, of Little Rock was driving west on the interstate in a 2012 Toyota, and Kareame Cotton, 37, of North Little Rock was driving west in a 1999 Chevrolet, according to the report.
The report does not state how the accident occurred, only that it is still under investigation.
David and Maci Harris were passengers in Paul Harris’ vehicle at the time of the crash, along with Kaleb Harris, 10, who was injured.
Keith Cotton, 42, of Little Rock and Kareame Cotton Jr., 10, of North Little Rock, passengers in Kareame Cotton’s vehicle, were injured.
The injured adults were taken to Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock, and the children were taken to Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock.
Paul Harris remained Wednesday at Baptist Health Medical Center, where his condition was unknown. Kareame Cotton and Keith Cotton were not listed in the hospital’s directory Wednesday. The conditions of Kaleb Harris and Kareame Cotton Jr. were unknown Wednesday.
David Harris was a senior pastor at Oak Park Baptist Church in Little Rock for more than 35 years, the church said in a news release.
- ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTEColeman explores
run for governor
Curtis Coleman of Little Rock, the chairman of the Curtis Coleman Institute for Constitutional Policy, has formed a committee to explore the possibility of running for governor in 2014.
Coleman, a Republican, registered his 18-member exploratory committee with the secretary of state’s office Wednesday.
Its executive committee includes Carl Rosenbaum of Little Rock, Robert E.
Smith Sr. of Little Rock, Alan Riels of Hamburg, Mark Diggs of Little Rock, Tom Bryant of Hot Springs Village and Debbie White of Benton.
Coleman, who made an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate in 2010, said he expects to make an announcement by this summer on whether he plans to run for governor.
So far, Democratic Attorney General Dustin Mc-Daniel of Little Rock is the only announced candidate for governor in 2014.
- ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
Formal charges filed in girl’s death
BENTONVILLE - Prosecutors filed formal charges Wednesday against a Bentonville man in the death of his 6-year-old neighbor.
Zachary Dwayne Holly, 28, is charged with capital murder, kidnapping andrape, all Class Y felonies, in the death of Jersey Bridgeman. He also is charged with residential burglary, a Class B felony.
Holly was arrested Nov. 26.
His arrest came after a nearly week-long investigation into Jersey’s death.
DesaRae Bridgeman discovered her daughter was missing when she woke up shortly after 6:30 a.m. Nov.
20, according to court documents.
Bentonville police officers Travis Nichols and Mike Henson found Jersey’s body in the closet of an abandoned house at 704 S.E. A St., just south of Holly’s mobile home. A medical examiner determined the girl died from asphyxia, according to court documents.
Holly lived at 702 S.E.
A St., next door to Jersey’s home at 608 S.E. A St.
Holly was being held Wednesday night in the Benton County jail without bail.
Arraignment is scheduled for Monday morning before Circuit Judge Robin Green.
- NWA MEDIAOklahoman faces 2 murder charges
POTEAU, Okla. - An Oklahoma man has pleaded innocent to two first-degree murder charges in the deaths of an Arkansas woman and her fetus.
Trial is set for June 17 for 26-year-old Christopher Kenyon Simpson of Fort Coffee, who is accused of fatally shooting Ka’Loni Marie Flynn of Fort Smith.
The Southwest Times Record reported that Simpson has been held without bail at the LeFlore County jail since his arrest June 21.
Flynn’s body was found in a car near Spiro on April 9.
Prosecutors allege Simpson shot Flynn after she told him she was pregnant.
Lawyers for Simpson don’t want prosecutors to be able to use phone records that allegedly place Simpson in the area of the slaying on grounds that authorities obtained them without a warrant.
- THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Missouri robber gets 35 years
KANSAS CITY, Mo.
- A St. Louis man was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for his role in the death of a security guard during a bank robbery in Kansas City in 2006.
Prosecutors announced Thursday that Thirplus Moose, 25, was sentenced for his role in the death of 70-year-old Dwight Mayhugh Sr.
Moose pleaded guilty in November to participating in two robberies at a United Missouri Bank branch in Kansas City in February 2006. Mayhugh was shot during the second robbery attempt and died the next day at a hospital.
Iralee E. French Jr. of Kansas City was sentenced to 87 years in federal prison without parole in the same case.
- THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Northwest Arkansas, Pages 8 on 01/04/2013