A case of negligent homicide in North Howard County has been continued to July 28.
Charges were formally brought against Shane Michael House last Wednesday, but the judge, Bryan Chesshir, was the district prosecutor on the day of the alleged offense. The case has therefore been transferred to the jurisdiction of Judge Tom Cooper.
There was a judicial warning in the court documents that no more continuances would be granted.
House was the alleged driver on Nov. 14, 2020, in a one-vehicle accident that claimed the life of Soundra K. Rivers, 39, white female, Hot Springs. She was a back seat passenger in the vehicle, and was pronounced dead at the scene. A front seat passenger was Michael L. Hunt, then 42, of Little Rock who was injured.
House denied being the driver, and refused a blood-alcohol test at Howard Memorial Hospital. The investigating officer, Arkansas State Police Cpl. Ernesto Echevarria, got a warrant for the blood alcohol level test which revealed a 0.131 percent level.
The accident occurred at about 8:30 p.m. at the intersection of highways 84 and 278 at Umpire. House’s vehicle ran through a stop sign and struck an embankment.
House faces charges of negligent homicide, class B felony, 2nd degree battery, class C felony, and DWI #1, a misdemeanor. He appeared in court with his attorney Wednesday, the regular day for criminal court in Howard County.
