TEXARKANA, Ark. (AP) - Authorities say an Oklahoma man has been jailed on a second-degree murder charge in the traffic death of a southwest Arkansas sheriff’s deputy.
Lafayette (luh-FAY’-et) County Chief Deputy Pete Richardson was killed Monday in a three-vehicle crash near Lewisville. According to the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office, Richardson was driving Michael Lee Ackart of Tulsa, Okla., to a homeless shelter in Miller County.
Authorities tell Shreveport, La., television station KSLA (https://bit.ly/Nqztcu ) that investigators believe Ackart reached over and grabbed the steering wheel as Richardson was driving, causing Richardson to swerve into oncoming traffic and crash into a vehicle.
Richardson was pronounced dead at the scene. Ackart was taken to a Texarkana hospital and was later transported to the Miller County jail. Authorities did not know if he had an attorney.
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