Darmel Dashun Batemon Jr., 20, of North Little Rock was arrested today for possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. At the time of his arrest, Arkansas State Police also served Batemon with a bond revocation warrant issued by the Pulaski County Prosecutor earlier in the day.
Batemon was driving a Dodge Charger at about 2:30 p.m. on Interstate 30 near the Geyer Springs exit when law enforcement stopped him because the vehicle he was driving was the subject of an intelligence bulletin out of Oklahoma.
On September 13, ASP charged Batemon with manslaughter and second-degree battery, both felony offenses, in connection with a fatality wreck that occurred in Little Rock on April 8th. Three days later, Batemon and seven other Arkansas men were arrested on gun and drug charges in downtown Tulsa.
Police found ten firearms including Draco 7.62 pistols, two AR pistols, three pistols, one .22 UZI, and some body armor, according to the arrest and booking report.
Gerald Stuart Allen, 84, of Benton died in the April wreck and his wife, Lucille “Lucy” Kiser Allen, was seriously injured.
ASP investigators say Batemon and another motorist were racing on I-430 North on that Saturday afternoon when the fatality accident occurred near the 4-mile marker.
Batemon was driving a 2012 Dodge Charger when he struck the Allen’s 2015 Toyota Avalon from the rear, forcing the vehicle off the roadway, where it struck a tree. Batemon was also injured.
“The Arkansas State Police will not forget Mr. Allen, and we will continue the fight to get justice for his family,” said ASP Colonel Mike Hagar. “We will again remind the public that racing and driving at high rates of speed endanger everyone on the road.”
Mr. Allen was an Arkansas Army National Guard veteran, serving as Commander of the 39th Support Battalion of the 39th Infantry Brigade. He retired with the rank of Colonel in 1986.
Mr. Allen’s obituary said, “The family asks that you consider contacting your state representative and requesting stronger penalties for those who are caught street racing on public roadways so that such senseless and tragic deaths and injuries may be prevented.”
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that in the past decade alone 800 people have lost their lives in incidents related to street races.
