A request by prosecutors Wednesday to increase the bond of a man accused in the death of a Conway police officer was denied Wednesday in Faulkner County Circuit Court.
Barry Strickland, 31, of Conway, was charged with first-degree battery following the death of officer William McGary on Jan. 31.
According to police, McGary was directing traffic at an accident on Dave Ward Drive when a Jeep driven by Strickland struck him.
On Feb. 1, McGary succumbed to fatal injuries at a hospital in Little Rock.
Strickland was released from a Faulkner County jail on $150,000 bond the same day and returned with his family to his hometown.
Prosecutors requested the bond amount be raised to $250,000 in light of the death of McGary. Judge Charles E. Clawson denied the request.
Over 50 of Strickland’s family members, church members, coworkers and fellow military servicemen turned out for the hearing to offer their support.
Clawson ordered that while free on bond, Strickland must reside solely with his parents and may not operate a motor vehicle or use or possess firearms, alcohol or controlled substances without a prescription.
Strickland is subject to random drug screens, and was also ordered to make available immediately to prosecutors medical treatment records from the veteran’s hospital.
A pretrial hearing in the case was set for 9 a.m. May 1 at the Faulkner County courthouse.
(Megan Reynolds is a staff writer and can be reached by phone at 501-505-1277 or by e-mail at megan.reynolds@thecabin.net. To comment on this story and others, visit www.thecabin.net.)
Comments (29)
Add commentFirst-degree battery...are you
First-degree battery...are you kidding!
Well...
Please provide the citation to the Arkansas statute under which you believe Mr. Strickland should be charged.
No, I won't provide 'the
No, I won't provide 'the citation to the Arkansas statute under which you believe Mr. Strickland should be charged' given that I ain't the prosecutor nor a lawyer. But I will continue to express my layperson amazement that 'first-degree battery' is the only charge stemming from the reports of what occurred...(lucky me to have blog professionals explain the error of my layperson's thinking.)
From this layperson's perspective it is amazing that everything that was originally mentioned about this tragedy (reckless driving/DUI/etc.) has now become 'first-degree battery' by a poor Christian 'boy' whose drug-taking can be excused 'cause he's a vet with medical problems. But despite being a mere layperson, I do understand that some things may be pending while medical records/etc. are gathered. I do know, however, that as a layperson I don't give a hoot how Christian his family is, how good a 'boy' he was in jail or how bad his medical problems are 'cause there is NO excuse for driving as impaired as he obliviously was.
But then again...given that I'm from the same hometown as Strickland...perhaps I am biased.
And as stated before, this villager believes Strickland has every right to a fair trial, to a great defense and that the rest of us must respect the outcome no matter how much we agree or disagree with it.
"And as stated before, this
"And as stated before, this villager believes Strickland has every right to a fair trial, to a great defense and that the rest of us must respect the outcome no matter how much we agree or disagree with it."
Then why are you even posting or complaining about it???
"From this layperson's perspective it is amazing that everything that was originally mentioned about this tragedy (reckless driving/DUI/etc.) has now become 'first-degree battery'"
Uh...'cause I can do two
Uh...'cause I can do two things at the same time. I can have an opinion about the situation and recognize that 'Strickland has every right to a fair trial, to a great defense and that the rest of us must respect the outcome no matter how much we agree or disagree with it.'
Can you put your head and rub
Can you put your head and rub your belly at the same time?
well
I bet this kid can (AT&T commercial)
And walk and talk at the same
And walk and talk at the same time...what can I say...I'm gifted.
Yeah but you can't walk and
Yeah but you can't walk and chew bubble gum at the same time... So you've got a ways to go yet.
Says who...
Says who...