A trial date has been scheduled for Diondre M. Holley, 24, of Naples, Texas, who is accused of fleeing, first-degree battery and possession of drug paraphernalia after he and two others allegedly stole items from the Ashdown, Ark., Walmart.
A pretrial date was scheduled for March 15 and a trial date for March 21 in the Little River County Circuit Court in Ashdown. Ninth Circuit Court Judge Tom Cooper set the court dates during a hearing Tuesday in Ashdown.
The charge of battery in the first degree was based on the vehicle's involvement in a wreck that ejected the passengers, according to documents from the Circuit Clerk's Office.
The incident occurred Oct. 26 when Ashdown Police Officer Casey Fleming attempted to make a traffic stop on a Hyundai occupied by two males and a female who had reportedly shoplifted merchandise from the Ashdown Walmart.
When Fleming activated his emergency lights, the vehicle fled, reaching speeds in excess of 100 mph.
The driver, Diondre Holley, said he was going too fast when he reached the curve on U.S. Highway 71 South and could not negotiate the turn. Holley said he was traveling 95 to 100 mph, according to the arrest affidavit prepared by Ashdown Police Lt. Boyd Kennemore.
All three were thrown from the vehicle.
The two passengers were taken to the hospital and believed to have spinal injuries. One passenger was taken by ambulance to CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System in Texarkana, Texas. Another passenger was flown by LifeNet to Little Rock. Holley was taken to Wadley Regional Medical Center with a leg injury and was released the same day. No additional information was available regarding the medical conditions.
Next to Holley on the ground, Fleming reportedly found a cigarette lighter and a glass pipe commonly used to smoke methamphetamine.
The report states Holley admitted to possession of the pipe and using it to smoke methamphetamine before the accident.