BENTONVILLE -- Ricky Schwellinger was changing a flat tire on the shoulder on Interstate 49 when he was struck and killed by a man suspected of driving drunk, according to court documents.
Schwellinger, 46, was outside his vehicle at 10:35 p.m. Wednesday in Lowell when he was hit, according to the Arkansas State Police.
A Benton County sheriff's deputy began CPR on Schwellinger until Lowell EMS arrived, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Two vehicles were parked on the interstate's outside shoulder, according to a report from the State Police. Another vehicle heading south veered off the roadway, sideswiped the other two and hit Schwellinger, according to the report.
The crash occurred on the south bound side of the interstate just north of the 78 exit ramp, according to court documents.
The driver abandoned a white Ford pickup and left the scene on foot, according to the affidavit. Authorities did not have a good description of the driver, but were able to locate the identity of the owner of the pickup, according to court documents.
Randy Perea, 31, was identified as the registered owner and authorities began looking for him, according to the affidavit.
One deputy searched the area of Workman's Travel Center and showed Perea's photograph to the store clerks, the affidavit states. The deputy noticed a man in the store, but could not see his face, according to the affidavit. The clerk said it was the man in the photograph, the document says.
The deputy stopped Perea and asked him about his pickup on the side of the interstate, the affidavit states. Perea claimed he had a Dodge and didn't know what the deputy was talking about, according to the affidavit.
Clara Hidalgo, 31, the woman with Perea, initially told the deputy she was driving the pickup, but changed her story when told she faced a felony charge for leaving the scene, the affidavit states. She reported Perea had asked her to come and pick him up from Workman's, according to the affidavit.
Perea was taken to the Benton County Jail and submitted to a breath test at 1:11 a.m. Thursday with a final result of 0.11 blood alcohol content. The legal limit in Arkansas is 0.o8.
Perea was arrested in connection with negligent homicide, leaving the scene of personal injury accident, driving while intoxicated and reckless driving with injury or death. Prosecutors have not filed any formal charges against Perea.
He was being in the county jail on a $150,000 bond Friday.
Perea's arraignment is scheduled for 8 a.m. Oct. 7 before Benton County Circuit Judge Robin Green.
NW News on 08/24/2019