A Valley Springs man has been charged with negligent homicide and other crimes following a head-on collision that caused severe injuries to a pregnant woman, resulting in the loss of her unborn child. The crash, which occurred on August 24 on U.S. Highway 62/65 South near Salmon Lane, also injured two additional passengers in the woman’s vehicle, according to the Harrison Police Department.
The suspect, 22-year-old Lucas Gene Cash, was arrested Tuesday after being discharged from the hospital and is being held at the Boone County Jail on a $100,000 bond, authorities said.
Police documents state that Cash was driving a pickup truck at an estimated speed of 80 to 90 miles per hour when he crossed into opposing traffic lanes and collided nearly head-on with another vehicle. The passenger side of the victim’s vehicle took the brunt of the impact, and Cash’s truck rolled onto its side before catching fire. Officers arriving at the scene found Cash unconscious and ejected from the burning vehicle. He was first transported to North Arkansas Regional Medical Center and later airlifted to Cox Medical Center South in Springfield, Missouri.
Police identified the injured passengers in the struck vehicle as 19-year-old Jadyn Campbell of Harrison, who was seven weeks pregnant at the time, 21-year-old Laydin Gibson of Everton, and an infant girl, aged four months, from Harrison. All three were initially treated at North Arkansas Regional Medical Center, with Campbell later being transferred to Mercy Hospital in Springfield for further care. Medical personnel determined that Campbell’s miscarriage resulted from multiple pelvic fractures and trauma consistent with the crash. She also suffered a broken leg and a spinal fracture.
Investigators say Cash had been driving erratically prior to the collision. Witnesses reported seeing him veer across the roadway and had to take evasive action to avoid being hit. Video footage and eyewitness accounts revealed that shortly before the crash, Cash stopped at a gas station, stumbled out of his truck, and behaved disruptively, urinating in view of bystanders, including a child. A deputy assisting Cash in an ambulance later noted he smelled strongly of alcohol.
A third driver, 70-year-old Rose Jenkins, avoided injury when her vehicle was struck by a loose tire from Cash’s truck during the incident, officials said.
Cash faces a series of felony and misdemeanor charges, including negligent homicide, second-degree battery, driving while intoxicated–first offense, reckless driving, and disorderly conduct. His case remains under investigation.