KTBS 3 News | Shreveport, LA: ArkLaTex News - Accused hit-and-run driver had walked in victim's shoes

Posted: Nov 19, 2009 9:28 PM
Updated: Nov 20, 2009 9:51 AM

A Keithville man -- whose mother said he was the victim of a hit-and-run accident more than 20 years ago -- has been arrested on charges he fled the scene of an accident in which a teenager was hurt.

Ronald McCartney left because he had been driving under the influence of prescription pills, Caddo Parish sheriff's deputies said after arresting him this week for vehicular negligent injury and felony hit-and-run driving..

Investigators said McCartney, 44, admitted he was under the influence of three different prescription pills on the night of Nov. 9, when he hit the 15-year-old boy on Jersey Gold Road.

McCartney's wife was also arrested, accused of helping him try to cover up what happened by buying new parts for his damaged truck.

The teen, who had been walking along the Keithville-area road, was treated and released from the hospital.

Sheriff's Cpl. Michael Vaitkus said McCartney hid his truck behind a shed after the accident. He and his wife, Donna, bought new parts for the truck the next day, Vaitkus said.

"The amount of work they did to this truck to try to repair the damages in such a short time -- they knew they had done something very bad," Vaitkus said.

McCartney's mother said her son was the victim of a hit-and-run in Caddo Parish 24 years ago. He suffered two broken legs and still has some lingering effects from his injuries, she said. The driver who hit him eventually came back to the scene, McCartney's mother said.

Vaitkus said McCartney denied hitting the pedestrian, saying the damage to his truck was caused by hitting a mailbox.

Donna McCartney, 36, was booked on charges of being an accessory.

Neutral + − !

gofigure at Nov 20th 2009 10:22 AM

I'm not condoning what they did, but, if you've ever driven down Jersey Gold, then you know that these kids walk down the road and think they don't have to move for traffic. It's like they are just daring you to hit them. It's also very dark at night and you sometimes don't even see them until you're very close to them.