LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Little Rock City Director Ken Richardson provided a letter from his neurologist after a car crash led to an incident with an Arkansas State Police trooper on August 2, 2022.
According to Arkansas State Police, Richardson hit "several" utility poles and caused a transformer to explode while driving near South University and Colonel Glenn Road last year.
Richardson said in the crash report that he "does not remember much" after turning right onto Colonel Glenn. He stated that he has a history of epilepsy and may have experienced a recurrence.
The letter provided by Richardson's treating neurologist on Thursday backed up this statement. It confirmed that he has a seizure disorder and said that Richardson's actions on the date of the arrest were consistent with his previous seizures and post-seizure state.
The Pulaski County Court ordered that the Department of Finance and Administration suspend Richardson's driver's license until he fulfills a set of requirements established by the Arkansas Code.
A state trooper said he approached Richardson's vehicle around 9:20 p.m. on August 2, 2022, and described him as being "confused" and his speech was "incoherent."
Richardson allegedly ignored orders to step out of his vehicle multiple times and then resisted the officer's attempts to remove him from the vehicle.
After a brief struggle, Richardson got out of the car and was instructed by another trooper not to get back into his car.
One of the state troopers said that Richardson became combative once the Little Rock Fire Department arrived and allegedly "lunged" forward and "squeezed" the trooper's leg just below the groin area— Richardson said he did not remember that.
He was arrested by state police and transported to a nearby hospital shortly after.
Richardson pleaded not guilty to resisting arrest, battery, and obstructing governmental operations on September 20, 2022.