CAMDEN — By PATRIC FLANNIGAN
Staff writer
A Camden woman was arrested and later released with a citation after her vehicle struck a pedestrian on The Trace walking trail Monday morning.
According to an incident report from the Camden Police Department, Julie L. Smith was taken into custody and charged with failure to yield to a pedestrian, no proof of insurance, reckless driving and texting while driving. She was later released with a traffic citation.
The report states that CPD Officer Nathan Lane was dispatched to the area of Washington Street near Dooley Womack Drive in reference to a crash involving a pedestrian. Lane notes in his report that he observed a black female, later identified as Mary McElroy, laying on her back in the middle of the east-bound lane of Washington Street and being taken care of by Emergency Medical Services.
McElroy was between 40 to 50 feet east of The Trace crossing, and also on the scene was a silver 2006 Ford Ranger with significant damage to its front end.
Lane states that he made contact with Smith who told him that she was driving 25-35 mph and that she looked both ways when she approached The Trace and didn’t notice McElroy walking. Smith said she tried to slow down but it was too late, and that she didn’t remember what happened after hitting McElroy.
Smith stated in the report that she has insurance, but was unable to provide any proof of it. She kept telling Lane that she had a picture of her insurance in her phone. When she turned it on, Lane observed a text message that was sent at 8:38 a.m. and Smith kept stating she had a picture of her proof of insurance on her phone. “When Smith turned her phone screen on, I observed a text message sent at 8:38 hour and a new message that was being typed,” Lane said in the report, adding that the message was never sent. Smith denied texting and driving.
McElroy was transported to the Ouachita County Medical Center by EMS.
Once at the hospital, it was determined that McElroy had multiple injuries including two broken legs, and a broken pelvis. She was later air-lifted to Wadley Regional Medical Center located in Texarkana, Texas.
A witness driving west on Washington Street stayed on scene to provide an account. The witness reported stopping to allow McElroy to cross the road, and noticed Smith enter the crossing without yielding or slowing down before striking McElroy. The witness also reported seeing Smith’s head down as if she was texting when she entered the crossing, and said that McElroy was sent airborne by Smith’s vehicle.
Another witness - a walker on The Trace - reported seeing McElroy walking and a silver truck not slowing down as it approached The Trace before hitting McElroy.
Smith was arrested at the scene and transported to the police station without incident.
While at the station, Smith was told to call her insurance agency to prove she has insurance on her car. Before calling the insurance company, Smith stated that she had not paid insurance in a couple of months. The report states that Lane spoke to a representative of the insurance company and learned that Smith’s insurance had lapsed due to not being paid, and that Smith had not had insurance since April.
Smith submitted to a breathalyzer test and no alcohol was found in her system during the time of the accident. Due to the statements given and the evidence on the scene, the incident was determined to be Smith’s fault.