Arkansas State Police have made an arrest of a suspect in the hit-and-run of a collegiate baseball player on Saturday evening.
Special Agents of the Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation Division arrested 24-year-old Katley Amanda Johnson of Star City, Arkansas, Monday and booked her at the Drew County Detention Center at approximately 4:30 p.m. Johnson is charged with leaving the scene of an accident with injury or death (Class D felony), tampering with physical evidence (Class D felony) and obstructing governmental operations (Class C misdemeanor).
According to police, Southeastern Oklahoma University baseball player Joseph D. Cerda, Jr., of San Antonio, Texas, was allegedly struck by a vehicle driven by Johnson on Saturday evening. The incident happened along U.S.-425 in Monticello. Cerda was with teammates crossing the highway to get food at a local eatery, and Southeastern Oklahoma was in Monticello to take on the University of Arkansas-Monticello.
According to teammates via the police, Cerda tried to jump out of the way of the car but was struck, and the vehicle kept on driving.
Cerda was initially transported to a nearby Moticello hospital before being airlifted to a Little Rock hospital.
The investigation by the Arkansas State Police continues. Johnson’s bond was set at $20,000.