A Miller County judge ordered a mental evaluation Monday for a Texarkana, Ark., man accused of running over and killing his wife last year.
Lucas Connor McCarley, 35, is charged with criminally negligent homicide in the death of Casey McCarley, 35. Casey McCarley was allegedly attempting to confront Lucas McCarley after spotting him driving on country road in Miller County in the early hours of March 3, 2016. Lucas McCarley allegedly told investigators he was attempting to get away from his wife when he knocked into her body and then ran over it with his truck accidentally, a probable cause affidavit alleges.
Lucas McCarley’s attorney, Matt Stephens, told Circuit Judge Brent Haltom at Monday’s hearing that a mental evaluation is necessary to rule out the possibility that a prior traumatic head injury suffered by Lucas McCarley could have affected his behavior at the time of his wife’s death and his fitness to proceed to trial.
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Connie Mitchell requested that the evaluation be performed at Arkansas State Hospital and did not object to Stephens’ request. Haltom said the case is essentially on hold until a report concerning Lucas McCarley’s competency is received by the court.
Lucas McCarley was allegedly attempting to avoid a confrontation with his wife near midnight March 3, 2016, when he struck and drove over her on Miller County Road 22. Lucas McCarley was in the company of another woman and in possession of meth and drug paraphernalia at the time, according to the affidavit.
When deputies with the Miller County Sheriff’s Office arrived, Casey McCarley was already deceased and her body was draped in a blue tarp in the roadway. When officers took a cursory look in Lucas McCarley’s truck they allegedly saw drug paraphernalia and usable narcotics in plain view.
Lucas McCarley is charged with negligent homicide, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Miller County prosecutors have included notices of enhancement on each of the charges because of Lucas McCarley’s prior felony convictions for burglary and theft.
Lucas McCarley faces five to 30 years if convicted of negligent homicide with prior felonies. The meth and paraphernalia charges are punishable by up to 12 years.
