A 19-year-old Texarkana man accused of causing the death of his passenger when he led Wake Village police on a chase in December was in court Tuesday in Bowie County.
Deontrae Delshawn Solomon appeared before 102nd District Judge Jeff Addison with Fayetteville, Ark., attorney Brandon Pickett and Texarkana attorney Josh Potter for a pre-indictment hearing on a charge of evading arrest causing death. De’Andre Jackson, 20, was ejected from the vehicle Solomon was driving in the early hours of Dec. 3 and later died of his injuries.
At the hearing before Addison on Tuesday, the defense asked that the case be referred to the Bowie County grand jury. Potter said that he and Pickett are engaged in ongoing discussions about a possible plea bargain in the case with Assistant District Attorney Randle Smolarz.
Solomon also has four pending motions to revoke a five-year probation he received in August 2018 for two counts of unauthorized use of a vehicle, burglary of a building and theft of property. All of those charges are punishable by up to two years in a state jail.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Wake Village Police Officer Jeremy Johnson was patrolling an area around Whippoorwill Lane and Arizona Avenue when he noticed Solomon’s vehicle. Johnson followed the car and attempted to stop the car for a traffic violation.
The car ignored the flashing lights and sirens of Johnson’s patrol car as it drove into Nash, Texas, and onto Interstate 30. When the vehicle took the Richmond Road exit, it began to skid and flipped end over end before coming to a stop.
Solomon allegedly ran from the accident but was arrested by Johnson after a brief chase. Jackson was seriously injured and transported to a local hospital where he later died.
Solomon allegedly told investigators he had broken into three or four cars and had stolen guns and other items when Johnson attempted to pull him over.
Evading arrest causing death is a second-degree felony punishable by two to 20 years in prison.
