FAYETTEVILLE — A driver who struck two pedestrians and fled was sentenced to prison and ordered to pay restitution Thursday in Washington County Circuit Court.
Charles Kalan Jones, 26, pleaded guilty to second-degree battery and leaving the scene of a personal injury accident. Jones was sentenced to six years at the Arkansas Department of Correction and ordered to pay $8,000 restitution.
Lauren Fowler and Tyler Pauls, both 21, of Fayetteville, suffered non-life threatening injuries.
“When you drink and get behind the wheel there are going to be consequences and they can be dire,” said Brian Lamb, deputy prosecuting attorney.
As part of the felony plea agreement, Jones is expected to plead guilty in Fayetteville District Court next week to misdemeanor driving while intoxicated.
Police said Fowler and Pauls were crossing University Avenue, near the Bank of America, about 2 a.m. Jan. 19 when Jones hit them with a BMW.
“The female rolled onto the hood of the car and impacted the windshield, which gave way,” Police Sgt. Shannon Gabbard said after the incident. “She fell into the passenger seat of the vehicle and the male, who also rolled onto the hood, was left on the side of the road.”
Gabbard said Jones drove away with Fowler in the front seat of his car.
Fowler asked Jones to call 911, according to an arrest report. Jones dropped her off near Powerhouse Seafood & Grill and drove away.
About the same time, a patrol officer noticed a BMW with a missing window. The officer stopped the car near Duncan Avenue and Center Street. Dispatch operators told the officer the car matched the description of one involved in the pedestrian accident, according to the report.