Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Questions Raised About Accident

Questions have arisen concerning who is at fault in a two-vehicle accident, which resulted in damage to a third vehicle.

According to a report from the Arkansas State Police, Michael Dillard, 21, of Gurdon, the driver of a 1984 Chevrolet pickup, was stopped in the eastbound lane of Main Street, waiting for traffic to clear so he could turn into the Sonic Drive In at about 10 p.m. Saturday, April 5.

Jimmy Edwards, the driver of the second vehicle, a Gurdon police car, was also heading east on Main, and hit the truck Dillard was driving in the right rear, pushing it partly into the west lane of traffic.

According to the report, the Dillard vehicle was moved some 57 feet east, while the GPD car traveled another 30 feet after the collision.

A car driven by David Barrentine, who was heading west on Main at the time, was slightly damaged by debris from the accident. Barrentine was driving a 1993 Chevy S-10 pickup at the time.

The report states there was no indication Edwards attempted to brake before the impact.

The report, written by Robert M. Batson with the ASP, further states the brake lights in the Dillard truck were on at the time of the wreck.

Batson said Edwards was following too closely and was unable to avoid a rear-end collision with the Dillard vehicle when he saw it was stopped in the street.

However, he further said, by Edwards attempting to drive around the truck, the impact was lessened considerably.

In addition, there were several witnesses to the accident, all of whom said Edwards was at fault. In some cases, the witnesses said it appeared as though Edwards was driving 40 or 45 miles per hour. The posted speed limit on Main Street is 30.

According to the report, the pickup sustained about $2,000 worth of damage, while the police car had an estimated $2,500 in damages from the accident. The Barrentine vehicle will cost approximately $300 to repair, as it sustained paint damage from the debris.