FORT SMITH, Ark. — Fort Smith Police have released new details about a deadly hit-and-run that left a cyclist dead and a man behind bars. Police believe the victim's body landed in the back of 42-year-old James Ray Jones' truck after the crash.
Aric Mitchell, Fort Smith Police PIO, says that 57-year-old Christopher West was riding his bike Friday, Feb. 18, night near Grand Avenue when a pickup truck driven by Jones hit him.
Police learned about the fatal crash after one of West's body parts was still at the scene the following day. Investigators later reviewed nearby surveillance footage and determined Jones as the suspect.
“Had found what appeared to be a human body part in the area of Grand Avenue in North 14th to North 16th," Mitchell said. “Immediately our accident reconstructionist and our detectives knew they were dealing with something out of the ordinary."
Jones was arrested at his home after officers located the pickup truck from the crash parked behind the house. According to Mitchell, West's body was found in the back of the truck. Jones later confessed about being connected to the hit-and-run.
Fort Smith Police called an accident reconstruction team to the scene to determine what happened. Investigators then concluded that West's body fell into the back of Jones' truck after he was hit. Jones claims he did not know the body was in the back of the vehicle.
Mitchell says police have been able to notify West's family about the tragic news.
"I know that he had people that loved him," Mitchell said. "We hope that they find healing in all of this. It doesn't make sense to any of us looking at the station, and it's going to be tough for them."
“Was that Chris, was that Chris, was that Chris,” son in-law Stuart Wood said the family asked themselves when awaiting confirmation. “And we were out looking for him. Calling everybody.”
The family later received confirmation that it was Chris. Calling it a traumatizing moment and are now asking the driver, Jones. Why?
“I don’t understand why you are couldn’t have stopped,” Wood said when asked what he would say to Jones. “That’s what I don’t understand. Panicky or not, why couldn’t you have stopped.”
“This it doesn’t make sense to any of us looking at the situation and it’s going to be tough for them,” Mitchell said
“I guess, wrong place wrong time," Wood said.
West's family says they are devastated by the crash, saying he was always willing to help his neighbors.
“He was really helpful,” Wood said. “He’d help people doing yard work. If he seen someone needing something to be done, he’d go do it. He loved riding his bike.”
Police are still at the beginning stages of the investigation and say Jones is cooperating. He is currently facing a manslaughter charge and leaving the scene of a deadly crash.
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