Texarkana man charged in traffic death of Hope woman

HOPE – Hempstead County Prosecuting Attorney Ben Hale has charged Xavier DeQuan Stewart, 31, of Texarkana, TX with Negligent Homicide and Violation of the Omnibus SWI Act-Third Offense, is connection with a fatal traffic crash last year.

According to the preliminary Arkansas State Police report of the wreck, on June 9, 2024, at 3:55 am, a 2013 Chrysler driven by Stewart was traveling westbound on Interstate 30 near the 23 mile-marker in Hempstead County when the vehicle left the road and collided with a tree, killing Nakhia Javon Booker, 21, of Hope.

In the probable cause affidavit filed in Hempstead County Circuit Court, State Trooper Akari Alexander states he was dispatched to the scene and was told by a first responder stated the driver had been transported to Christus St. Michael Hospital in Texarkana and the passenger was deceased on-scene. Trooper Alexander stated in the affidavit first responders advised him when they arrived, they allegedly observed the driver walking around the north side of the tree line. The Trooper stated he went to the area and allegedly found a child’s backpack in the tree where the driver was allegedly seen standing and inside was allegedly a large plastic bag containing a box with several plastic bags, and a black case containing a digital scale.

Trooper Alexander said he contact his sergeant who then typed up a blood preservation letter, took it to the hospital, and had the driver fill out a witness statement. According to the affidavit, Stewart wrote on his witness statement that “he was sleep-deprived and fell asleep behind the wheel.”

The prosecutor’s office in its filing contends Stewart should receive an extended term of imprisonment under the terms of the law because of previous felony convictions.