JACKSONVILLE — A man faces a murder charge after his vehicle struck and killed a firefighter and seriously injured two other first responders when he drove around barricades at the scene of an accident involving his mother, authorities said Tuesday.
Bryce Allen of Jacksonville was charged with one count of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder in the deadly incident that occurred about 10:50 p.m. Monday on Arkansas 161 south of Jacksonville. He was being held in the Pulaski County Detention Center on $750,000 bond Tuesday with an appearance scheduled for March 29 in Jacksonville District Court.
Jacksonville officials identified the firefighter killed as Capt. Donald Jones, a 31-year veteran of the Jacksonville Fire Department. A second firefighter, 13-year veteran Jason Bowmaster, and Jacksonville police officer Daniel DiMatteo were transported by air ambulance to Little Rock hospitals. Both men were in critical condition Tuesday after undergoing surgery, Jacksonville City Administrator Jim Durham said.
“It’s a sad day for Jacksonville,” Durham said.
Authorities said police and fire department units initially were dispatched about 10:30 p.m. Monday to an accident in which an SUV left the roadway and struck a natural gas meter. Thelma Allen, mother of the man charged in the second incident, was the driver of the vehicle. Authorities had blocked the road in an attempt to contain a leak from a gas main line, officials said.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Durham said he and Jacksonville Mayor Gary Fletcher arrived on the scene just minutes after the officers were struck.
Durham said he watched as officers performed a field sobriety test on Bryce Allen. The man appeared calm until officers explained that he would have to go to the hospital to have a blood sample taken, then he “dropped to his knees and went berserk” and had to be restrained by handcuffs, Durham said.
The fire department had parked fire engines sideways to block the highway after Thelma Allen’s accident, Durham said, adding that police cars also were used to block vehicles from getting near the accident scene.
All of the vehicles had emergency lights flashing as Bryce Allen’s van approached, Durham said.
In a news release Tuesday, the Jacksonville Police Department said the younger Allen “made no attempt to brake and even accelerated prior to striking the emergency personnel.”
Allen’s mother had called her son by cell phone after the first accident, police said.
“As Allen drove to the scene, he went around emergency vehicles and struck Officer DiMatteo and two Jacksonville fire personnel with his vehicle,” the police report said, adding “Allen appeared to be aiming toward the firefighters and officer.”
“Officer DiMatteo stated, while on scene, that the vehicle that struck them accelerated prior to striking them,” the report said.
Bryce Allen told officers his “accelerator stuck,” according to Durham.
Jacksonville fire Chief John Vanderhoof said Jones will be missed.
“A fire chief’s worst nightmare is the loss of a fellow firefighter that has been killed in the line of duty,” Vanderhoof said in a statement.
Jones started his career with the Jacksonville Fire Department on Dec. 24, 1980.
“He served for 31 years of dedicated service,” Vanderhoof said. “He will be missed by his family, as well as his firefighting family. He will always be in our hearts and memories. Please pray for his family, his brother firefighter and police officer that were injured at the same time, and his other fellow firefighters.”
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Greg Rayburn and Bill Lawson write for Central Arkansas Newspapers.