Ward man found guilty of negligent homicide

A Ward man was sentenced to a total of 60 years in prison following a jury trial last week in El Dorado after being found guilty of two counts of negligent homicide.

James Kade Williams, 32, was found guilty by a 12-person jury following a two-day trial that began on Monday, September 26.

Jury instructions available in court records state that the jury needed to find that prosecutors showed beyond reasonable doubt that Williams was guilty of negligently causing the deaths of Shawn Strickland and Joanna McJunkin while operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

The case against Williams was pursued by the Union County Sheriff's Office following a decision by the Arkansas State Police – who initially investigated the incident – not to pursue "direct criminal charges."

According to court records, the fatal crash occurred on March 27, 2021. An Arkansas State Police report referenced in court records said that a 2004 Pontiac Grand AM allegedly driven by Williams traveling northbound on Highway 15 "crossed into the southbound lane" and struck a 2015 Toyota Tacoma driven by Strickland head-on.

McJunkin, the front passenger in Strickland's vehicle died shortly following the crash, and Strickland died due to injuries sustained in the accident in April 2021.

According to court records, members of Strickland's family contacted the Union County Sheriff's Office in October 2021 in search of a case status update. UCSO investigators "learned that no direct criminal charges had been pursued by the State Police in regard to the accident."

Investigators then obtained the case file from the State Prosecutor's office and, upon review, "noted that a sample of James Williams' blood had been submitted to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for toxicology testing and had returned a positive result" for methamphetamine and marijuana, according to court records.

UCSO investigators also reviewed body camera footage from the scene, including three witness statements given to the responding state trooper.

UCSO investigators interviewed one of these witnesses as well, court records state.

The jury also recommended the sentence of 30 years for each count of negligent homicide and recommended that the terms be consecutive. These recommendations were followed by Judge Hamilton Singleton, resulting in Williams' 60-year prison term.

Further jury instructions available in court records informed members of the jury that, while negligent homicide convictions normally have a maximum sentence of 20 years, Williams' status as a habitual offender with two prior felony convictions raised the maximum sentence for each count to 30 years.

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