MH man pleads not guilty to leaving scene of accident charges

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Gerald Hedges of Mountain Home, who was involved in a head-on collision on U.S. Highway 62 in September seriously injuring another person, appeared in Baxter County Circuit Court Thursday and entered a not guilty plea to charges stemming from that accident.

When a Mountain Home police officer arrived on the scene, he spoke to witnesses who said the driver of one of the vehicles — later identified as the 42-year-old Hedges — had left the scene of the accident on foot.

He was located a short distance from the accident scene, arrested and taken to the police department where a breath test was administered. Hedges’ sample showed him well above the legal limit of alcohol in his system, leading to a driving while intoxicated charge.

The victim in the vehicle Hedges ran into sustained what were described as serious injuries. He was initially taken to Baxter Regional Medical Center and then transferred to a hospital in Springfield.

The victim was reported to have fractures to both wrists, his skull, a cervical fracture and a dislocated right hip.

Hedges was charged with first-degree battery, leaving the scene of an accident involving personal injury or death, driving while intoxicated and careless and prohibited driving.

He is free on a $2,500 bond and was ordered to reappear in circuit court Nov. 29th.

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