A Mountain Home man involved in a head-on collision on U.S. Highway 62/412 in early September last year that left another man with serious injuries has been sentenced to six years in prison with five to serve and one suspended. The sentence was handed down during a session of Baxter County Circuit Court last week.
Forty-three-year-old Gerald Hedges, who was intoxicated at the time of the accident, pled guilty to the charges against him in May, with sentencing put over until last Thursday.
Witnesses told Mountain Home police Hedges had left the scene of the accident on foot. He was located a short distance away, arrested and taken to the police department. He was given a certified breath test showing him well above the legal limit of alcohol in his system, leading to a driving while intoxicated charge. He was also charged with second-degree battery, leaving the scene of accident involving personal injury or death and careless and prohibited driving.
Hedges was reported to have been traveling westbound when he crossed into the opposing lane of traffic and hit another vehicle. The driver of the vehicle Hedges smashed into sustained serious injuries. He was initially taken to Baxter Regional Medical Center and then transferred to a Springfield hospital.
The victim was reported to have fractures to both wrists, his skull, a cervical fracture and a dislocated right hip.
The total amount of restitution in the case, which includes the victim’s medical bills, may be something to argue another day. Hedges’ attorney, John Crain, told the court he had been handed a list of “out of pocket expenses” incurred by the defendant while the sentencing process was underway.
Crain told Circuit Judge Gordon Webb he was not in agreement that his client owed additional money to the victim. He said the victim had signed a release of all claims against Hedges after Hedges’ insurance company had made payments to him.
It was agreed the argument over the out-of-pocket expenses could be made at a later time, and the sentencing process was completed.
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