PARAGOULD, Ark. — A Paragould man was arrested after police say he left the scene of a crash that caused significant vehicle damage near a local Walmart store.
According to the Paragould Police Department, officers responded around 7:32 a.m. on March 11, 2026, to a reported hit-and-run accident near the Walmart Neighborhood Market.
Witnesses told officers that one of the vehicles involved in the crash, described as a maroon Mercury, had left the scene before police arrived.
A short time later, officers located a vehicle matching that description at a nearby residence. Investigators noted that the Mercury had damage consistent with the collision, and they also discovered paint transfer that matched the victim’s vehicle, according to the report.
Police said Gary Hopkins, 54, admitted to officers that he had been involved in an accident earlier that morning.
Authorities reported that the victim’s vehicle sustained more than $10,000 in damage.
Hopkins was arrested and charged with failure to stop after an accident involving property damage, a Class D felony under Arkansas law.
According to jail records, Hopkins’ bail was set at $10,000 cash or surety.
All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
