FORT SMITH -- The driver of a pickup truck pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges that he was under the influence of drugs when his vehicle hit and killed a 13-year-old boy.
Craig L. Asplund, 61, of Arkansas 282 in Alma, faces one count each of negligent homicide while intoxicated and driving while intoxicated on drugs, according to court records.
The not guilty plea on his behalf was filed Thursday by defense attorney Carrie Jernigan in Sebastian County Circuit Court.
Newly filed court documents in the case include subpoenas to Fort Smith EMS, Fort Smith Fire Department and Dr. Greg Gibbons that seek medical records for both Asplund and the teenager who was killed.
The next scheduled court date for Asplund is Oct. 30, court documents indicate.
He remains free on $25,000 bond posted Tuesday when he turned himself in to police due to a warrant for his arrest.
Asplund is accused of being under the influence of a narcotic analgesic on Oct. 11 when the 2016 Ram 2500 pickup he was driving hit a Kimmons Middle School seventh-grader.
The boy died from injuries he suffered in the incident.
'UNMARKED CROSSWALK'
Police responded about 5 p.m. Oct. 11 to a vehicle-pedestrian accident at Kelley Highway and 44th Street.
That day, Asplund left his job at Craig's Car Care driving the pickup, and he came to the intersection of Kelley Highway and North 44th Street, according to the warrant affidavit filed Tuesday.
As Asplund turned right onto Kelley Highway, he struck and killed the boy, who was crossing the road in front of the truck, the affidavit says.
Although there was no crosswalk painted at the intersection, the crossing qualifies as an "unmarked crosswalk" under Arkansas state law, according to the affidavit.
State law says: "... where traffic control signals are not in place or in operation, the driver of the vehicle shall yield the right of way, slowing down or stopping if need be to yield, to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection," the affidavit states.
TESTED FOR DRUGS
In a court filing Thursday, Asplund's defense requests, among other discovery from the prosecution, "any and all videos, body worn camera videos, and in car camera videos (including) ... any videos from the 'BAC' area."
"BAC" refers to blood alcohol concentration test; three field sobriety tests were performed on Asplund, which he failed, but when he was given a BAC test, the result was zero, according to court documents.
Asplund allegedly was tense, lethargic and sleepy, police officers said in the affidavit, almost falling asleep during portions of their interaction with him.
A drug recognition expert was called because officers suspected Asplund was under the influence. The drug recognition expert arrived and observed Asplund appeared to be sleepy and was slumped in the chair as he entered the room, court documents state.
After conducting his tests as well as making observations and questioning Asplund about the state of his health, the drug recognition expert determined Asplund was impaired by a narcotic analgesic and was unable to operate a vehicle safely, the affidavit states.
Asplund told police he takes over-the-counter medications Nyquil, Tylenol and melatonin and a prescription analgesic Ketorolac every night around 10 p.m., according to the affidavit.
He takes the narcotic Tramadol as needed for pain, but he said he had not taken Tramadol in two months, according to the affidavit.
Tramadol, a pain medication commonly used to treat moderate to moderately severe pain, belongs to the group of medicines called opioid analgesics, according to the Mayo Clinic.
To relieve pain, it acts in the central nervous system.
Urine and blood samples were taken and logged into evidence to be sent to the State Crime Laboratory, according to the affidavit, but the result of those tests has not been reported.
The investigation is ongoing, according to authorities.
Asplund was originally arrested Oct. 11 in connection with driving while intoxicated -- drugs, a misdemeanor, and was released from the Sebastian County Adult Detention Center on a $1,500 bond the next day.