Billie Barnard Killed, Kevin Karosich Arrested after Alleged DWI Crash in Jacksonville, AR
UPDATE (January 24, 2023): The victim of this accident has been identified as 39-year-old Billie Barnard.
Jacksonville, AR — December 19, 2022, one person died and Kevin Karosich was arrested after a fatal auto accident on John Hardin Drive in Jacksonville.
Authorities say the incident happened Monday on the 6600 block of John Hardin Drive. The circumstances of the accident aren't clear, but investigators allege Kevin Karosich was intoxicated when his southbound Chevy vehicle collided with and fatally injured the unidentified victim's Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
Toxicology tests allegedly indicated Karosich had a BAC around .12. He was reportedly arrested on potential DWI and negligent homicide charges.
The investigation continues. No further information is currently available.
A common mistake I see after these accidents is believing there's little else to know about them. Even with just the few published details some may feel the key points were addressed: Someone fatally hurt the victim while intoxicated and was arrested for it, so what more is there to say?
As it happens, maybe quite a bit. For one thing, an important (but often overlooked) detail is where the suspect drank before the accident. Some may not see how that matters, but depending on where the drinks came from a local business may also share some responsibility for the terrible damage done. If they illegally over-served the suspect and he caused those fatal injuries due in part to that over-service, the business should be held accountable for its role in taking an innocent man's life.
I'm not saying for sure that negligent over-service happened in Jacksonville, but did the authorities even look into the possibility? It's hard to say, but in my experience they rarely prioritize finding and punishing careless bars. Making sure they answer for their sins may require help above and beyond police efforts.
