MONDAY JULY 23, 2007 Last modified: Wednesday, July 12, 2006 11:19 AM CDT
Judge suspends bond for hit and run driver by KENNETH FRY, Press Argus-Courier Editor

A man accused of leaving the scene of an accident which killed a young girl is being held without bond in the Crawford County Detention Center.

On Monday, Lucky Crawford, 50, appeared before Circuit Judge Gary R. Cottrell on a petition to revoke bond and for refusing to sign extradition papers.

Crawford was arrested in Tennessee in June for driving on a suspended license, according to Prosecuting Attorney Marc McCune. Crawford was free on a $10,000 bond from the Crawford County Detention Center at the time of his arrest for charges of driving on a suspended license and leaving the scene of an injury accident.

McCune asked that Crawford be held in the jail with no bond. Cottrell granted the request, saying he wanted to have a hearing within two weeks.

Crawford is charged with leaving the scene of an accident, alleging he struck 18-month-old Audrey Pense with his vehicle while driving on U.S. 71 in Mountainburg on Oct. 3. Pense died of injuries from the accident. Crawford turned himself to Mountainburg Police Department on Oct. 6 after learning that police were looking for a vehicle similar to his.

Crawford told police that he thought he hit an animal while he was traveling to a convenience store on the night of the accident.

Crawford allegedly refused to sign extradition papers to Florida where he is wanted on two outstanding warrants. One warrant was issued Feb. 3 out of Seminole County, Fla., for failure to appear on a habitual offender of suspended driver's license charge with a $10,000 bond attached. Crawford also is wanted in Clay County, Fla., on a probation violation stemming from a driving under the influence and battery on a law enforcement officer charge.

The warrant, signed Oct. 10, 2002, states that Crawford violated the probation conditions by committing the offense of possession and display of a revoked driver's license in Orange Co., Fla., on Aug. 31. 2002.

Crawford has an extensive criminal history, including an arrest and conviction for DWI in Newport, Ark., in February 2005, according to the prosecuting attorney's files.

He has been in prison several times for burglary, theft and drug offenses and has been arrested for rape and kidnapping. His criminal history includes offenses in California, North Carolina, South Carolina, Indiana and Florida.

Crawford attempted to obtain an Arkansas driver's license which was denied.

Tuesday, July 11, 2006 9:08 AM CDT Bond Revoked In Fatal Hit, Run Accident
By Betsy Turner Times Record bturner@swtimes.com

Bond was revoked Monday for a Fort Smith man charged with leaving the scene of accident where a child was killed.

Lucky Crawford, 50, appeared in Crawford County Circuit Court on a petition to revoke bond and for refusing to sign extradition.

Prosecuting Attorney Marc McCune said Crawford was arrested in Tennessee in June for driving on a suspended license. Crawford was free on a $10,000 bond from the Crawford County Detention Center at the time of his arrest for charges of driving on a suspended license and leaving the scene of an injury accident.

McCune asked that Crawford be held with no bond. Circuit Judge Gary Cottrell granted the request.

According to police reports, on Oct. 3, Crawford allegedly struck 18-month-old Audrey Pense with his vehicle while driving on U.S. 71 in Mountainburg and left the scene. Pense died of injuries from the accident.

Crawford turned himself in to the Mountainburg Police Department on Oct. 6 after learning that police were looking for a vehicle similar to his, police affidavits state.

Crawford told police that he thought he hit an animal while he was traveling to a convenience store on the night of the accident.

Crawford does not have a driver’s license. Crawford also refused to sign extradition papers to Florida, where he is wanted on two outstanding warrants.

One warrant was issued Feb. 3 out of Seminole County, Fla., for failure to appear on a habitual offender suspended driver’s license charge with a $10,000 bond attached.

Crawford is also wanted in Clay County, Fla., on a probation violation stemming from charges of driving under the influence and battery on a law enforcement officer .

The warrant, signed Oct. 10, 2002, states that Crawford violated the probation conditions by committing the offense of possession and display of a revoked driver’s license in Orange Co., Fla., on Aug. 31. 2002.