Law enforcement agencies this week announced arrests in two fatal hit-and-run accidents in Central Arkansas.
In a news release Monday, the Arkansas State Police said Candace Conners, 72, of Sherwood had been arrested on a charge of leaving the scene of an accident involving physical injury or death, a felony, in the collision that killed Lawrence “Gage” Gates, 22, of Jacksonville.
Gates was found dead on the morning of Sept. 2, 2022, in a yard next to Arkansas 107 near West Cleveland Road in Pulaski County, police said. He had last been seen by his mother around 3 p.m. on the day before.
During the course of the investigation, investigators determined that Gates was struck by a 2014 Jeep Cherokee Trail Hawk that was found in Cabot and had DNA matching Connors, police said.
Conners surrendered at Pulaski County District court on Feb. 17 and entered an innocent plea.
Also on Monday, Benton police announced that Jerrica Speed, 28, of Hot Springs had been arrested in connection with a Jan. 15 hit-and-run that killed 13-year-old Zarious Evans of Benton.
Evans was found dead in the 19000 block of South Service Road just before 7 a.m. on Jan. 15, after police received a call about an unresponsive boy in the area.
A Jan. 17 police news release identified Speed as the driver of the black Nissan Pathfinder involved in the crash and said she had contacted authorities about it.
Speed faces charges of leaving the scene of an accident involving death or serious injury, negligent homicide and obstructing governmental operations, police said.
Authorities said three minors are also facing curfew violations and other misdemeanor charges related to the hit-and-run. The identity of the minors and information about the other charges were not immediately released.