Police arrested a Little Rock man they say crashed the car that caused a gas leak to evacuate a Fayetteville neighborhood.
Several homes were temporarily evacuated Tuesday afternoon after a car driven by James Holloway collided with a gas meter, causing a leak. Source Gas arrived on scene, and the leak was contained, allowing people back into their homes near the intersection of West Stone Street and Eastern Avenue, officials said.
After crashing his car into a gas meter, Holloway tried to run from the area, but was caught by police, said Sgt. Craig Stout with the Fayetteville Police Department. The suspect is in police custody and is being checked for drug or alcohol intoxication.
There were no reported injuries in the crash or subsequent gas leak, officials said.
An officer said he saw Holloway, 21, speed through the Ramay Junior High 25 miles-per-hour school zone near South Sang Avenue and West Stone Street at 60 miles per hour. Holloway’s blue Toyota Solara blew through two stop signs before crashing into the gas main at the University of Arkansas bus garage, according to a preliminary report submitted by Fayetteville police.
Holloway was driving on a suspended license and has a pending driving while intoxicated charged from October, according to the report.
The suspect told police his brakes went out on the vehicle. Police said Holloway spoke with a slur and seemed intoxicated during a field sobriety test. A blood-alcohol test showed the suspect had not consumed any alcohol.
Police asked the suspect to provide urine for a drug test, and Holloway refused. He was then arrested and booked into the Washington County Detention Center.
He faces charges of running stop signs, driving on a suspended license, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, reckless driving, leaving the scene of a property damage accident, violation of seat belt laws, fleeing, driving while intoxicated with drugs and violation of implied consent.
Holloway was released from the jail on $2,000 bond Tuesday night.
