By Louie Graves
News-Leader staff
Brian White, veteran police chief at Dierks, has resigned his position after allegedly being intoxicated and wrecking a police vehicle at mid-morning Easter Sunday.
According to Howard County Sheriff Brian McJunkins, the accident occurred outside of the Dierks city limits, and officers were notified of the accident before 10 a.m.
White was taken into custody near his residence by Arkansas State Police officers and was jailed at Nashville at about 12:30 p.m. He was released about an hour later, according to reports.
The accident occurred on Highway 278 near the Green Plains Road.
Nashville radio stations KMTB and KNAS submitted a formal Freedom of Information request in order to obtain information about the incident.
At first White was suspended with pay by Mayor Ronnie Cogburn pending investigation of the incident, but he later resigned.
White was apparently driving a Dierks patrol vehicle outside the city when the accident occurred. By the time officers arrived at the scene, the vehicle had been removed from the accident site.
White was driven to a spot near his home by someone else, according to reports.
The vehicle was also taken to a site “near” White’s residence. The site was not revealed in official statements.
White was booked at the jail and was released after about an hour’s stay.
Dierks city officer John McKee has been named interim chief by Mayor Cogburn.
The Dierks City Council was to have held a special meeting Monday night to address personnel issues.
Sheriff McJunkins said he didn’t believe there was any damage to either the Dierks patrol vehicle or to the property where the accident occurred.
The incident is under investigation by the Arkansas State Police.
