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ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE POSSIBLE IN MONDAY INCIDENT

By Ray King/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Wednesday, May 13, 2009 11:26 PM CDT

Prosecutors are considering filing attempted murder charges against a Pine Bluff driver, who allegedly hit another man a car on the parking lot of the Wal-Mart Super Center, 5501 S. Olive St., Monday, then left the scene.

Pine Bluff Commercial/Ralph Fitzgerald Robert Knott (on scaffold), of Delta Recycling Service, Odell Terry (on ladder) and Jack Reed bring down the crown molding for salvage Tuesday morning out of the historic Bell Mansion on Barraque Street.

Deputy Prosecutor Rik Ramsey said the state anticipates charging Steven Anthony Bell, 39, with attempted first-degree murder because store video and witnesses indicate that “with the purpose of causing the death of Daniel Spicer, he caused serious physical injuries to Spicer.”

Ramsey told Circuit Judge Berlin Jones during a court hearing Wednesday that Bell is the boyfriend of Spicer’s ex-wife.

Spicer was still hospitalized at Jefferson Regional Medical Center where he had received 25 staples to the head, and “at the very least, has a dislocated shoulder and hip, and fractured ribs,” Ramsey said.

“Because of the amount of swelling, the X-rays are still inconclusive on other possible injuries,” Ramsey said.

Reading from an affidavit from police Detective Brent Bridges, Ramsey said a witness to the incident told police she saw Spicer enter the crosswalk when a car traveling at “speeds up to 45 miles per hour” hit him.

The witness, who was not identified during the court hearing, said Spicer “flipped up on top of the car, fell off and slid about 150 feet on the parking lot,” and she was not able to get a good look at the driver of the car.

Ramsey said store video surveillance showed Spicer getting out of his car on the parking lot, and a tan car circle the parking lot twice, then pull near the crosswalk where the driver appeared to it in park, then put the car back in gear and accelerated when Spicer entered the crosswalk, striking him before leaving the scene.

Bridges reported that police found the car, a 1998 Ford Escort, while they were searching for Bell, and said that a blanket had been used to cover up the windshield to hide the damage to the vehicle.

Bell surrendered to police detectives Tuesday after his picture and information had been released to the media Monday afternoon, and reported in The Commercial Tuesday.

At Ramsey’s request, the judge set a $100,000 bond for Bell, who told the court he would hire his own attorney. Bell was also ordered to have no contact with Spicer until the case is settled.

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