A Cave City man has been arrested in the fatal hit and run accident that killed a Batesville woman Monday night.
According to the arrest affidavit filed in Independence County Circuit Court, the Cave City Police Department received a phone call from a citizen who said they might have information regarding the accident, in which a vehicle struck and killed Rita J. Brooks, 64, of Batesville, at 6220 N. St. Louis St. (Highway 167) on Dec. 28. Arkansas State Police determined Brooks had likely been hit when she was moving a trash receptacle from the edge of the highway near her home.
Authorities say Danny Carl Day (pictured), 50, of Cave City, was arrested after Arkansas State Police interviewed him regarding the accident.
After the Monday night incident, the investigators had determined the vehicle that struck Brooks was heading northbound. They also discovered pieces of a headlight, but were unable to locate or identify the vehicle involved that struck Brooks, according to the affidavit. Further, there were no reports of witnesses that observed the accident, and no one called to confirm they were involved in a collision, the affidavit said.
On Tuesday, investigators recovered more pieces of the vehicle at the crash site, including some that were covered in blood, according to the court information.
On Tuesday morning, authorities spoke to the caller, who told them Day rode with the caller from their mutual workplace that morning because Day arrived at work the previous night riding in Day’s daughter’s car. Day told the witness his vehicle’s headlight was out, and he didn’t want to get pulled over, the affidavit said
When the witness arrived at Day’s home, they saw Day’s vehicle had been in an accident, with a broken right front headlight, damaged bumper, and a bent hood, the affidavit said.
The investigators then went to interview Day at his home. Upon arrival, the officers observed a red Pontiac four-door car with damage to the passenger side front bumper and headlight, the affidavit noted. Upon further examination, the headlight was a “perfect match” to the pieces previously found at the scene, and there was also blood splatter observed on the passenger side of the vehicle, according to the court information.
Day was escorted to the Cave City Police Department for questioning and advised of his Miranda rights, the court info said. The affidavit noted Day admitted he was driving his car when he thought he had hit a trashcan and “some critter.” The affidavit also said Day admitted he did not stop or try to make a report of the accident.
Day has been charged in Independence County Circuit Court with one felony count of leaving the scene of an accident involving physical injury or death.
He is being held at the Independence County Detention Facility on a bond of $100,000.
Image via Independence County Sheriff’s Department
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