MONTICELLO, Ark. — Dash camera footage shows an Arkansas State Police (ASP) corporal swerving across U.S. Highway 278 near Monticello on the evening of August 21, narrowly avoiding a head-on collision before driving his state-issued vehicle into a roadside ditch.
Cpl. John M. Parker, 45, of Camden, was arrested following the incident on charges of driving while intoxicated (DWI) involving drugs and careless or prohibited driving, according to the ASP. He resigned from the agency two days later, on August 23, amid an ongoing internal investigation.
The crash happened at roughly 7:30 p.m., and Parker was uninjured, according to officials. The dash camera video shows his vehicle drifting into the opposing lane multiple times and nearly hitting an oncoming motorist just before veering off the road.
Following the crash, standardized field sobriety tests were administered, and the results allegedly indicated impairment. Parker was taken into custody and booked at the Drew County Detention Center.
ASP stated that Parker had been placed on administrative leave while the investigation unfolded. The agency’s Office of Professional Standards is conducting an internal review, while the Highway Patrol Division investigates the crash.
Parker had been with the Arkansas State Police since 2014. No additional details about the incident or the investigations have been made available.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.