Man charged in fatal hit-and-run crash on Hwy. 53

More than a week after being arrested in Clay County, Ark., a Poplar Bluff man now sits in Butler County jail facing felony charges in connection to a fatal hit-and-run crash from early February.

Zack Lee Davis, 23, of the 400 block of Arthur Street was charged with the Class E felonies of leaving the scene of an accident and tampering with physical evidence by Butler County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Paul Oesterreicher.

Davis

Davis is charged in connection with a crash that occurred at about 7:40 p.m. Feb. 4 on Highway 53 at County Road 306, about three miles south of Poplar Bluff, and left Wendy L. Dumas dead. The 23-year-old was pronounced dead at 9:55 p.m. at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper Chance Berry, according to Cpl. J.T. Wilson’s probable-cause statement, responded to the crash scene, where he contacted Poplar Bluff Police Patrolman T.J. Akers.

Wilson said Akers reported Dumas was in an ambulance, and he had the suspect vehicle’s license plate, which had fallen off at the time of the crash.

A check of license plate found its registration came back to Davis, Wilson said.

“While investigating the crash, Trooper Berry spoke to a bystander that saw the aftermath of the crash,” Wilson said. “The witness stated he heard the crash and went outside his shop and saw a white, four-door passenger car leaving the scene and turning north onto County Road 605.”

Wilson said the witness further reported he got into a vehicle, drove down County Road 605 and saw the vehicle pulling into a residence. The residence reportedly belonged to Davis’ mother.

“The witness observed a white male removing the rear license plate from a white passenger car,” Wilson said.

Another bystander, according to Wilson, also was identified.

“This witness stated he heard a loud noise while inside of his shop at the scene of the crash,” Wilson explained. “(He) stated he went outside and observed a white passenger car with front-end damage driving near his shop building. (He) identified the driver of the vehicle as Zack Davis.”

Wilson said the witness had known Davis for years and had seen him through the window. The witness, he said, later “positively identified” Davis in a photo lineup.

“According to evidence on the roadway and surveillance footage, the white passenger vehicle was traveling northbound, crossed the entire roadway, ran off the left side of the roadway and struck Dumas,” who was walking on the southbound shoulder, Wilson said.

The vehicle, he said, then ran into the ditch before crossing County Road 306.

“The vehicle drove through a parking lot before returning to Missouri 53,” Wilson said.

On Feb. 6, Wilson said, a witness called Troop E and reported there was a vehicle, which appeared to have been involved in a crash, parked on his/her property on County Road 605, north of the crash location.

“The vehicle was concealed behind a private residence next to a trash pile,” Wilson said. “(It) was not visible from County Road 605.”

Trooper Lee Hughes, Wilson said, responded and believed it to be the same vehicle, which had been involved in the crash.

“The vehicle’s rear license plate had been removed and had damage (that) corresponded with impact with a pedestrian,” Wilson said.

The vehicle, a 1999 Oldsmobile Alero, was towed and stored until a search warrant could be applied for and executed, Wilson said.

“The vehicle had damage to the right front portion of the car and the windshield,” Wilson explained. “ … Zack Davis’ identification was located in the center console …”

Davis, Wilson said, was not found the night of the crash, and he made no efforts to contact law enforcement about the crash.

“Investigators conducted numerous interviews in an effort to locate Davis,” Wilson said.

A search warrant also was obtained for Davis’ cellphone, which was found to have been turned off on Feb. 5.

Wilson said investigators received information on Feb. 18 indicating Davis was in Piggott, Ark., and was in a new, gray Chevrolet Impala.

Wilson said Davis was arrested by Piggott officer(s) at 4:30 a.m. Feb. 19 on a Missouri Probation and Parole warrant for parole violation.

“During an interview with investigators at the Clay County Sheriff’s Department, Davis admitted to driving the 1999 Oldsmobile Alero” during the nighttime hours of Feb. 4, Wilson said. “Davis stated, ‘I don’t know if I blacked out or fell asleep.

“‘I didn’t know what I hit.’ Davis (went) on to say he thought he hit a mailbox and left the scene because he was on parole.”

Davis, according to earlier reports, pleaded guilty to the Class C felony of possession of a controlled substance through Butler County. He was sentenced to five years in the Missouri Department in October 2016 after being found in violation of his probation.

A Probation and Parole official reported Davis was released on parole on March 22, 2017.

Wilson said Davis further told investigators he stopped at his mother’s house on County Road 605 after the alleged crash and saw a vehicle he thought was following him.

“He then continued south on County Road 605 and left his vehicle where it was later located by investigators,” Wilson said.

Davis further reported he did not know he had hit a person until Feb. 5, Wilson said.

Davis is being held in the Butler County jail on a $100,000 bond.