Drunk Driver Strikes Man, Then His House

A simple morning walk turned near deadly Saturday (7/21) morning when Faulkner County Deputies said a drunk driver hit a man, and then careened into the man's house.

Deputies said they were called to Highway 36 at the intersection of Roden Mill Road.

The driver's in jail while the victim, 48-year-old Allan Shirley, is still in the hospital as of Saturday night.

Shirley had to be med-flighted to a Little Rock hospital. The family said while he's conscious and even talking, he's in a lot of pain. They said he has fractures all over his body in his pelvis, ribs and knees, along with a ruptured spleen. 

"It's horrible for something like that to happen," said Shirley's nephew, Bradley Burgess.

Burgess said Shirley was just out for  a stroll.

"Just getting the day going, just to get something to do instead of sitting inside and doin nothing, just walking down the highway."

Just before 8 Saturday morning, Faulkner County Deputies said a truck driven by twenty-four year-old Damon Warbritton, hit Shirley.

"It threw him across one side of the road to the other," said Burgess.

Shirley apparently tried to get out of the way, but couldn't., and Warbritton's destructive path didn't end there.

Burgess added, "Dude just kept on trucking kept on going jumped the road and see where it ended."

Markings on the road, a divot in the ditch from Warbritton's truck, and a smashed in corner of the house Shirley lived in, all evidence of what some people said was a bad decision.

Deputies said Warbritton was intoxicated; nearly twice the legally limit. He was arrested on the spot.

Faulkner County Prosecutor, Cody Hiland said, "We can't have people walking down the road and have their life impacted by someone who gets out and has the stated intention of making bad decisions."

Hiland noted that Warbritton even RSVP'ed on Facebook to a Friday night party; one where party go-ers were encouraged to drink and make bad decisions.

Hiland said now Warbritton will have to pay for his actions.

"When people make bad decisions there could be painful consequences," he said. "I hope the people who engage in wreckless, selfish behavior like this understand that we're prepared to make sure that painful consequences are part of the deal."

Deputies have charged Warbritton with a DWI and wreckless driving, however after an investigation, charges could range anywhere from aggravated assault to battery. Warbritton could face even more for damaging the home. He could get a felony charge for criminal mischief.