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| Asa Hutchinson III poses for a photo at Washington County Jail at around 6:45 am Sunday |
William Asa Hutchinson III was arrested around 4:00 a.m. Sunday by the Arkansas State Police ("ASP") in NW Arkansas and was charged with driving while intoxicated, careless driving and implied consent violation charges.
Asa III was arrested by the ASP after he crashed on the I-49 southbound exit ramp going onto the Fulbright Expressway headed towards Springdale/Fayetteville.
Asa III claimed he "dozed off" on his way to Rogers. Troopers were perplexed as he was headed south and Rogers was to the north. Troopers noticed that Asa III's eyes were bloodshot and his speech was slurred and he was slow to respond to questions. Troopers also noted that there was a strong odor of alcohol in his vehicle.
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Unfortunately this is not the first time he has been charged with a DWI offense. Back in 2001 he pled guilty to a DWI offense in North Little Rock.
On February 11, 2001 at approximately 12:54 a.m., Asa III was pulled over by the ASP for speeding (80 mph in a 60 mph zone). When the trooper was at Asa III's vehicle he immediately smelled alcohol and Asa III seemed "dazed" and "slow" and his eyes were bloodshot. Asa III was given a field sobriety test, which he failed. Asa III then consented to a breath test and he had a BAC of 0.11%. Asa III told the trooper he had consumed 6 or 7 drinks.
The court records note a previous DWI arrest on September 27, 1996.
CLICK TO VIEW THE COURT FILE FROM HIS 2001 DWI ARREST
Asa III was also involved in an accident in Conway on August 7, 2015 in which the vehicle he was driving flipped onto its passenger side during a purported accident. Reports indicate that alcohol was not a factor, but Hutchinson was not given a field sobriety test, nor was he given any type of test to determine blood alcohol content. Perhaps his daddy's political connections to the Sheriff (Andy Shock, who was subsequently appointed to the Parole Board days after the accident. BTW- Shock's income went from around $30k to $80K) and Prosecuting Attorney (Cody Hiland, tainted ABC Enforcement Director Boyce Hamlet's former boss) helped out a bit.
Asa III was arrested by the ASP after he crashed on the I-49 southbound exit ramp going onto the Fulbright Expressway headed towards Springdale/Fayetteville.
Asa III claimed he "dozed off" on his way to Rogers. Troopers were perplexed as he was headed south and Rogers was to the north. Troopers noticed that Asa III's eyes were bloodshot and his speech was slurred and he was slow to respond to questions. Troopers also noted that there was a strong odor of alcohol in his vehicle.
CLICK FOR KFSM NEWS REPORT
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| "X" marks the approximate location where Asa III hit guardrail |
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| The pesky guardrail that got in Asa III's way |
Unfortunately this is not the first time he has been charged with a DWI offense. Back in 2001 he pled guilty to a DWI offense in North Little Rock.
On February 11, 2001 at approximately 12:54 a.m., Asa III was pulled over by the ASP for speeding (80 mph in a 60 mph zone). When the trooper was at Asa III's vehicle he immediately smelled alcohol and Asa III seemed "dazed" and "slow" and his eyes were bloodshot. Asa III was given a field sobriety test, which he failed. Asa III then consented to a breath test and he had a BAC of 0.11%. Asa III told the trooper he had consumed 6 or 7 drinks.
The court records note a previous DWI arrest on September 27, 1996.
CLICK TO VIEW THE COURT FILE FROM HIS 2001 DWI ARREST
Asa III was also involved in an accident in Conway on August 7, 2015 in which the vehicle he was driving flipped onto its passenger side during a purported accident. Reports indicate that alcohol was not a factor, but Hutchinson was not given a field sobriety test, nor was he given any type of test to determine blood alcohol content. Perhaps his daddy's political connections to the Sheriff (Andy Shock, who was subsequently appointed to the Parole Board days after the accident. BTW- Shock's income went from around $30k to $80K) and Prosecuting Attorney (Cody Hiland, tainted ABC Enforcement Director Boyce Hamlet's former boss) helped out a bit.
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| The driver of the truck that Asa III hit had to be med-flighted to Little Rock. |
Asa III is an attorney and works for the law firm owned by the brother of ABC Administrative Director Bud Roberts. Many have speculated that Roberts, a little known divorce attorney that worked out of his cottage home in Benton, received his appointment as a result of his brother's financial contributions to the Hutchinson gubernatorial campaign and the token employment of Asa III by his brother's law firm.
Asa III apparently has suffered from a drinking problem for quite some time as evidenced by photos from 2010 charity event and the DWI arrest in 2001.
According to information on the Mothers Against Drunk Driving ("M.A.D.D.") webpage, about one-third of all drivers arrested or convicted of drunk driving are repeat offenders and drunk driving costs each adult in the United States almost $800.00 per year!
Perhaps M.A.D.D. and the ABC can team up and use Asa III in a campaign to combat drunk driving.
