BENTONVILLE — A Bentonville man was sentenced to 25 years in prison after admitting to intentionally crashing his pickup truck into his wife’s car and then crashing into another vehicle.
Billy Beasley, 48, pleaded guilty Monday to five counts of assault and aggravated assault.
He was arrested in May 2022.
Bentonville police were dispatched at 3:27 p.m. on May 4, 2022, to a crash on Southwest 14th Street near the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, according to a probable cause affidavit.
An officer arrived and saw a red Nissan Titan pickup truck with extensive damage in the grass on the south side of the road. Beasley was identified as the driver, according to the affidavit.
A black Nissan Sentra hit a sign and was on the southbound side of the road. Beasley’s wife, Charman, was identified as the driver of the car, and her daughter was a passenger in the car, according to the affidavit. Charman Beasley was taken to the hospital, according to the affidavit.
A Ram pickup truck had extensive front-end damage and was in the eastbound outside lane, according to the affidavit.
A witness told police he believed the crash was intentional after he saw the Nissan pickup swerve and hit the car, according to the affidavit.
Charman Beasley told police she saw her husband get behind her vehicle and then hit the back of her vehicle, according to the affidavit.
Cynthia Kennedy, the driver of the Ram pickup, said she saw the Nissan pickup hit the Nissan car and then veer into oncoming traffic and hit her vehicle head-on, according to the affidavit.
Assistant District Attorney Wilson Raines read a victim impact statement on behalf of Charman Beasley.
“I have to remind myself, ‘You’re safe, just breathe, he can never hurt you again,'” Raines read.
Charman Beasley said he can’t sleep most nights without nightmares.
Billy Beasley said he regrets his actions and hopes one day he can forgive him.
Benton County Circuit Judge Robin Green sentenced him to 25 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections. He must serve at least seven years in prison before being eligible for parole.
