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Fort Smith Man Faces Several Felonies In Hit-And-Run

FORT SMITH (KFSM) —  A man is accused of injuring his passenger in a hit-and-run collision. Ben Michael Hatcher, 35, of Fort Smith is facing two counts of felon...

FORT SMITH (KFSM) —  A man is accused of injuring his passenger in a hit-and-run collision.

Ben Michael Hatcher, 35, of Fort Smith is facing two counts of felony possession of a controlled substance, one count of leaving the scene of an accident with injury, furnishing prohibited articles and tampering with physical evidence, as well as misdemeanor driving while intoxicated on drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police were dispatched to a hit-and-run collision in the 5600 block of Park Avenue about 8:40 p.m. Sunday (April 9). The driver, later identified as Hatcher, was said by first responders to have left the scene, but by the time police arrived, Hatcher had returned, an arrest report states.

Hatcher had hit a metal pole that was placed into the ground with concrete. The pole was buried at least three feet and when he hit it, it was completely uprooted, according to police.

A 4×4 that was next to the pole went through the windshield and hit Hatcher’s 56-year-old passenger in the mouth. She was bleeding profusely while she spoke with police. She was taken by ambulance to Sparks Regional Medical Center for treatment, the report states.

Hatcher allegedly told police he fled to the scene to find help, but police stated there were at least six homes nearby where he could’ve asked for help.

Once at the Sebastian County Detention Center, a marijuana bud was found in Hatcher’s mouth.

He remained Tuesday (April 11) in the Sebastian County Detention Center in lieu of an $18,000 bond.

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