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Oklahoma Manslaughter Suspect Arrested In Springdale

SPRINGDALE (KFSM) – An Oklahoma manslaughter suspect was arrested in Springdale on Dec. 30, police say. Souvenir Kabua, 20, was booked into the Washington...
Souzenier Kabua

SPRINGDALE (KFSM) – An Oklahoma manslaughter suspect was arrested in Springdale on Dec. 30, police say.

Souvenir Kabua, 20, was booked into the Washington County Detention Center on Tuesday at 9:58 a.m., according to jail records. He faces charges of residential burglary, first-degree criminal mischief, possession of drug paraphernalia, public intoxication and financial identity fraud, jail records state. He also had a warrant out of McCurtain County, Okla. on suspicion of manslaughter, authorities said.

Kabua’s manslaughter warrant stems from a sport utility vehicle crash that took place earlier in December near Smithville, Okla., authorities say. The SUV had six people in it, and as a result of the crash, one died, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP).

Authorities said Kabua was driving a 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe while under the influence of alcohol and marijuana. He was driving on U.S. 259 and went off the road to the left. After that, he overcorrected and hit a guardrail, according to OHP. The vehicle then rolled on top of the guardrail, authorities said.

Kabua was traveling from Springdale to Broken Bow, Okla. when the crash happened, according to OHP. He showed up to his preliminary hearing, but he did not show up to his next scheduled court date, which led to the manslaughter warrant being issued, according to authorities.

On Dec. 30 at 4:51 a.m., police were called to 902 Kansas Street in Springdale in response to a burglary case, according to an arrest report.

The person who called authorities told a dispatcher that a Marshallese man (later identified as Kabua) had broken into his house. The caller said Kabua was trying to steal something, the report states. After the caller approached Kabua and told him to leave, the burglary suspect refused to do so, according to the report. The caller ended up pushing Kabua out the door, but the suspect didn’t leave.

After the door was closed, Kabua went around to the back of the house and smashed a window, cursing at the victim, police said.

An officer arrived at the residence and heard glass breaking, so, he ran around to the back of the home, according to the report. He then ordered Kabua to stop and put his hands in the air, the report states.

Kabua stopped but put his hands in his pockets, according to the report.

He was handcuffed, and police found a “pipe with a skeleton on the side of it” in his pocket, the report states.

The arresting officer noted in his report that he could smell marijuana from the pipe. He also stated in the report that he could smell intoxicants coming from Kabua, according to the report.

The suspect admitted to being intoxicated and was taken to the detention center, authorities said.

Kabua had given the officers the name “Benjen Milne” when arrested, but a jailer later called the arresting officer to say “Benjen” was Kabua’s cousin’s name, according to police.

His first hearing is scheduled for Dec. 31 at 7:45 a.m., and he is being held on a $2,500 bond, jail records state.

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