GENTRY -- Police in Gentry arrested William M. Degenhardt, 54, of Decatur, in connection to a May 12 driving incident in which Degenhardt is alleged to have exceeded the speed limit, failed field sobriety tests and refused to submit to a chemical test for blood-alcohol content.
According to police reports, Degnehardt was driving a black Chevrolet pickup truck northbound on Arkansas Highway 59 at 65 miles per hour in a 40 MPH speed zone. When he was stopped, Degenhardt allegedly had the smell of alcohol coming from inside his truck, and had slurred speech and bloodshot and watery eyes.
Degenhardt was administered standard field sobriety tests by Gentry police and failed, according to police reports. He was arrested and taken to the Benton County Jail. There, he allegedly would not provide a sufficient breath sample for blood-alcohol testing, according to police reports.
He faces possible charges of driving while under the influence of alcohol, speeding in excess of 20 MPH and refusal to submit to a chemical test for blood alcohol content.
Police also arrested Roger L. Blair, 52, of Gentry, in connection with a May 12 incident of driving while intoxicated.
According to police, Blair is alleged to have driven a 2000 Toyota Corolla off the roadway along Pioneer Lane by the schools and then driven into the ditch and got stuck along Marion Lee Road, just east of the railroad crossing. He allegedly tested at .182 blood alcohol content in testing performed at the Benton County Jail. The legal limit is .08.
No injuries were reported in the accidents.
General News on 05/25/2016