Springdale man pleads guilty to negligent homicide in fatal crash

Escalante
Escalante

FAYETTEVILLE -- A Springdale man pleaded guilty Thursday to negligent homicide and second-degree battery related to a fatal car crash last summer.

Gustavo Escalante, 21, of 580 E. Randall Wobbe Lane, Apt. 10-104, lost control of his Chevrolet TrailBlazer and flipped it about 4 a.m. Aug. 13 near the railroad tracks at East Meadow Avenue and South Commercial Street in Springdale.

Eliseo Landa-Zamora, 18, died after being ejected from the vehicle. Escalante wasn't injured.

Escalante, who was 20 at the time, told police he had been drinking and was driving the vehicle. Escalante registered 0.11 on breath test, 0.08 is considered intoxicated. Escalante told police he was smoking marijuana within 24 hours before the wreck.

Escalante was sentenced Thursday in Washington County Circuit Court to 15 years at the Arkansas Department of Correction with 10 years suspended. He was ordered to provide a DNA sample and pay a $250 DNA collection fee. He was ordered to refrain from alcohol and illegal substance use. He was given credit for 10 days jail time served.

Escalante faced 5 to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $15,000.

"While there is nothing that can erase the pain of the victim's family, we do believe the sentence is appropriate," said Amy Driver, deputy prosecutor.

Another passenger, Ruth Figuerero, was taken to Northwest Medical Center-Springdale and Washington Regional Medical Center. She survived her injuries.

Two other unnamed passengers were in the vehicle and fled after the accident.

NW News on 03/20/2015

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