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Two hurt in wreck involving cruiser |
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Monday, 11 May 2009 |
An accident involving a Bryant police car, a stolen motorcycle and a small car shut down the eastbound lanes of Interstate 30 for about 30 minutes late Sunday.
One man was airlifted to a Little Rock hospital, but was later released, according to authorities. The accident occurred between Raymar Road and exit 126 on I-30.
While at the scene, Bryant Police Chief Tony Coffman said the incident occurred after a man was stopped for possession of a stolen motorcycle. He said a Bryant K-9 unit stopped Cody Beggs, 23, of Texas for speeding 90 mph in a 70 mph zone around 8:30 p.m. Coffman then discovere the motorcycle was reported stolen out of Mesquite, Texas. Beggs reportedly also originally told the officer his name was Cody Smith.
“The K-9 unit was not able to transport [Beggs], so Officer Darren Williams was called to the scene,” Coffman said. “Williams pulled his vehicle over on the service road and later it got hit by another vehicle.”
Coffman said after Williams placed Beggs in the police cruiser, he walked over to the other officer and a wrecker on I-30. As Williams was walking back to his police cruiser on the service road, Otto Schmidt of Alexander slammed his small vehicle into the back of the patrol car.
Williams was not injured during the accident.
Schmidt, 28, reportedly told officers that he “did not see the police cruiser.” Coffman said any charges against Schmidt likely would come from the Arkansas state police, which took over the accident.
Two Bryant fire trucks, numerous Bryant and state police officers and two MedTran ambulances from Saline Memorial Hospital also arrived at the scene. State police shut down the eastbound lane of I-30 between 8:45 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. to allow a MedFlight helicopter to land on the roadway.
Beggs was flown to Baptist Health Medical Center in Little Rock, but Coffman said he was later released and transported to the Saline County jail. Beggs was charged with theft by receiving, speeding, no motorcycle endorsement and no proof of insurance.
Schmidt was transported to Saline Memorial Hospital and as of press time, his condition is unknown.
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