Brookland police have arrested a 21-year-old Jonesboro man after he allegedly caused a rollover crash by grabbing the steering wheel during an argument with his girlfriend, according to court documents. The incident occurred while the couple's 10-month-old child was in the vehicle.
Craighead County District Judge Thomas Fowler found probable cause on Monday, Sept. 13, to hold Eayn Obryan Wright on three Class D felony charges: first-degree endangering the welfare of a minor and two counts of aggravated assault on a family or household member. Wright is being held on a $15,000 cash or surety bond and has been ordered to have no contact with the victim or her child. His next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 26.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the crash happened around 1:30 p.m. at the intersection of East School Street and Missouri Street in Brookland. Officer Eric Stephens, the first responding officer, arrived to find a woman standing next to an overturned white vehicle lying on its roof in a ditch. Stephens assisted in removing her 10-month-old child and Wright, her boyfriend, from the vehicle. None of the occupants were injured, but due to the extreme heat, Stephens placed them in his patrol car.
When asked about the cause of the crash, Wright initially told Officer Stephens that the steering wheel locked while crossing railroad tracks, causing the vehicle to veer off the road and roll over. Stephens, however, noted in the affidavit that the explanation seemed unusual for what appeared to be a nearly new vehicle.
After prompting, the woman gave a different account. She stated that the couple had been arguing about baby wipes after leaving their apartment to drive to Jonesboro. She claimed that Wright believed there were baby wipes back home, while she insisted there weren’t any. The woman explained that she turned the vehicle around to prove her point by returning to their apartment. As they crossed the railroad tracks, Wright, who was sitting in the back seat, allegedly grabbed the steering wheel, forcing the car into a ditch and causing it to overturn.
The affidavit adds that Wright then asked to revise his initial account of events. He admitted that the argument about the baby wipes had escalated when he told his girlfriend to stop the car and let him out. When she refused, he grabbed the steering wheel, which resulted in the crash, according to his statement.
After his admission, Wright was placed in custody and transported to the Craighead County Detention Center.
Brookland authorities continue to investigate the incident. No injuries were reported for the child or adults involved.