BENTONVILLE -- Prosecutors warned Mitchell Ramsey last year he faced more jail time if he failed to show up to start serving his 13-year prison sentence for negligent homicide.
The total went to 33 years Friday.
Ramsey, 23, of Centerton failed to report to Benton County Circuit Judge Brad Karren's court Jan. 14 for a trip to jail and then prison. Ramsey was recently caught in New Mexico by his bondsman and returned to Benton County.
Bryan Sexton, Benton County deputy prosecutor, reminded Karren on Friday he warned Ramsey of the consequences if he didn't report in January.
"The state was here Jan. 14, 2019," Sexton said. "The family was here Jan. 14, 2019. The defendant was not here Jan. 14, 2019."
Ramsey pleaded guilty in November 2018 to negligent homicide.
Rogers police responded to a three-vehicle crash at 4:05 p.m. Sept. 28, 2017, at North 13th and West Persimmon streets, according to court documents.
Donald Davis, a Rogers police officer, reported he could smell alcohol on Ramsey's breath and noticed Ramsey's speech was slurred, according to a probable cause affidavit. A paramedic treating Ramsey noted he appeared intoxicated, according to the affidavit.
William Dudzieski, the driver of one of the other cars, died at Northwest Medical Center-Bentonville from injuries suffered in the wreck.
Brandon Henson, the driver of the third vehicle, told police he was stopped on North 13th Street when he saw Ramsey's car hit Dudzieski's. Henson said Ramsey didn't stop at the stop sign, according to court documents.
Ramsey told police he didn't remember anything about the accident and only remembered leaving JJ's Grill in Rogers, according to the affidavit.
A blood sample from Ramsey indicated a blood alcohol content of 0.20, according to court documents. The legal limit in Arkansas is 0.08.
Ramsey' failure to report in January caused the case to drag on for months, which denied Dudzieski's family closure, Sexton said. He asked the judge to impose the 13 years for negligent homicide and then 20 more years as part of a suspended sentence agreement.
Johnathan Faught, Ramsey's attorney, urged the judge to order the sentences to be served concurrently rather than consecutively.
Karren ordered Ramsey to serve 33 years in prison, consecutively.
NW News on 09/21/2019