ROGERS (KFSM) — A Bella Vista man was arrested Tuesday (Jan. 5) on suspicion of negligent homicide and driving while intoxicated after causing a deadly accident, according to the Rogers Police Department.
Donald Gene Lyons, 61, is being held at the Benton County Jail and is also facing charges of driving on a suspended, revoked or cancelled license and not having adequate insurance during an accident, jail records show. His bond has not yet been set.
On Aug. 29, 2015 around 9 p.m., Lyons was driving southbound on S. 8th Street approaching the intersection with W. Pleasant Grove Road when he attempted to stop, but his vehicle, a Ford Econoline van, slid sideways hitting a BMW motorcycle driven by Matthew Frank of Lowell, according to Rogers police.
Lyons also hit a Ford Explorer that was then pushed across the intersection where it collided with a Kia Sportage, according to police. A Toyota 4Runner and a Chevrolet Silverado were also struck in the collision, police said.
Lyons and Frank were transported to Mercy Medical Center where Frank died a short time later, according to police.
When investigators interviewed Lyons, he told them he had bought a half pint of vodka and had about two shots of it before crashing into Frank and the other vehicles, according to a probable cause affidavit.
A blood sample was collected from Lyons at the scene. The results showed his blood alcohol content was 0.20 at the time of the crash, the affidavit states.
