Man Faces Felonies after Allegedly Hitting Someone while Drunk Driving

PARAGOULD, Ark. – A man faces numerous charges including felonies after an incident where he is alleged to have drunkenly tried to run people over with his vehicle.

Officers with the Paragould Police Department were dispatched on March 22 to a residence in reference to an assault with a vehicle Police arrived and were told the defendant was very intoxicated and had attempted to leave in his vehicle, attempting to run over one individual and striking another.

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Police learned he had struck multiple vehicles in his attempt to leave. Officers observed multiple vehicles with damage. They collected several witness statements, including from neighbors who weren’t involved.

The person who was struck by a vehicle was taken to a hospital but his condition was not thought to be serious.

Officers made contact with a vehicle matching the one described in the incident and found the defendant in the driver’s seat. The probable cause affidavit says he confirmed to officers he had driven from the scene and admitted he knew he had struck some vehicles. He apparently admitted to having been drinking alcohol, although police noted an open container in the vehicle.

Christopher Ramsdill, 20, of Arbyrd, MO, was found to be in violation of multiple traffic laws due to his prior DWI history. The affidavit says he refused all testing offered by officers.

Ramsdill is being charged with two counts of aggravated assault, a Class D felony, as well as charges for leaving the scene of an accident with injury, driving while intoxicated, refusal to submit, and operating a vehicle during a period of license suspension or revocation.

Bond was set at $25,000 for Ramsdill.