Arkansas driver gets 37 years for same-day crashes that killed 1, hurt 1

HOT SPRINGS -- An Arkadelphia man was sentenced to 37 years in prison Tuesday after a bench hearing in Garland County Circuit Court on charges of negligent homicide and leaving the scene of an injury accident stemming from two separate wrecks on the same morning last year.

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Cortez Deshawn Gatlin, 25, appeared before Judge John Homer Wright with his attorney, Jonathan Huber of Benton, for a bench sentencing after pleading guilty Nov. 28 to both charges and waiving his right to a jury trial. After hearing from both sides, Wright sentenced Gatlin to 30 years on the negligent homicide and seven years for leaving the scene, with the two sentences to run consecutively, for a total of 37 years.

Deputy prosecutor Joe Graham said Tuesday that Gatlin is classified as a habitual offender, having been previously convicted of three prior felonies, including residential burglary and drug offenses, which increased the maximum penalty on the negligent homicide charge to 30 years instead of 20.

While Wright gave Gatlin the maximum sentence on the homicide conviction, he opted to give him only seven years, less than the potential maximum of 12 years, for leaving the scene. Graham noted that Wright based his decision on the fact the woman's injuries in the crash were not that serious and damages were covered by her insurance.

Graham said he had argued for the maximum on both charges, noting that even run consecutively Gatlin could be eligible for parole in a little more than six years for good behavior if he meets all the qualifications.

According to the affidavits, on Aug. 29, 2015, shortly before 1:30 a.m., Hot Springs police officer Shawn Stillian was dispatched to a fatality accident on the King Expressway involving a white Ford Crown Victoria and a Honda motorcycle, operated by Debois "Tremayne" Hale, 34, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Witnesses stated they were eastbound in the outside lane of the expressway and had seen the motorcycle just ahead of them in the inside lane. One witness stated he saw a vehicle with one headlight driving westbound in the eastbound inside lane, headed straight toward the motorcycle.

They said the vehicle struck the motorcycle head-on and they saw the driver, later identified as Gatlin, exit the vehicle after the collision and noted he had "extremely slurred speech" and wasn't making coherent statements.

A toxicology test later revealed Gatlin's blood alcohol content was 0.212, almost three times the legal driving limit.

Stillian learned that just before the fatality wreck, Gatlin was involved in a hit-and-run accident at Sixth and Hobson involving a pickup that was struck. The female driver of the pickup was transported to CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs for injuries to her neck, shoulders, back and hips.

Police were able to use paint transfer left on the victim's pickup and several pieces of Gatlin's vehicle left behind at the scene to confirm he was the one involved in the earlier wreck.

Gatlin was taken into custody on the charge of leaving the scene on Sept. 11 and later released on $10,000 bond. After the toxicology report was received on the second wreck, a warrant was issued for his arrest on the homicide charge and he was taken into custody Oct. 30 and initially held in lieu of $35,000 bond.

State Desk on 12/22/2016

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