Murder Charges Filed for Deaths of four in Vilonia Road Rage Crash

Charges have been filed against two central Arkansas men in the deaths of four people related to the September 12, 2010 car crash on Highway 64 near Vilonia.
          Twentieth Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Marcus Vaden has charged James Holian, age 38, of Cabot, Arkansas and Russell Johnston, age 29, of Vilonia, Arkansas with 4 counts each of Murder in the First Degree.
          The incident began in Vilonia where Holian and Johnston became involved in a road rage incident that lasted approximately 7 to 8 miles and culminated with Johnston’s car crossing into oncoming traffic near the Vilonia Primary School and striking two vehicles, a 2006 Ford F-150 and a 2007 Cadillac Deville.
          The driver and passenger in the F-150 sustained minor injuries; however, 4 of the 5 family members in the 2007 Cadillac were killed and the survivor sustained serious injuries. Johnston was ejected from the vehicle during the collision and taken to the hospital for treatment.
          In addition to the murder charges, Holian was charged with one count of Failure to Stop after an Accident With Injury or Death.
          The felony informations filed against Holian and Johnston allege that Holian and Johnston “did commit or attempt to commit a felony and in the course of and in the furtherance of the felony or in immediate flight therefrom, he or an accomplice did cause the death of a person under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life”.
          Each count of murder is a Class Y Felony which carries a punishment of 10-40 years or Life in the Arkansas Department of Correction. Failure to Stop after an Accident with Injury or Death is a Class D Felony which carries a punishment of 0-6 years in the Arkansas Department of Correction.
         “Four completely innocent people were killed during the course of Holian and Johnston’s committing the felony of Aggravated Assault with their vehicles. The outrageous behavior of two grown men operating their vehicles in the manner they did and at the extreme speed they did is unbelievable. And in our opinion it amounts to murder” said Vaden.

ArkansasRadio.com

ArkansasRadio.com