Driver in fatal crash jailed for violation of bail

BAILEYVILLE — A 23-year-old Alexander man who was involved in an accident last year that killed a father and his three children is back behind bars.

Ellis James MacArthur Jr., 23, was arrested at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday and charged with violation of bail conditions.

While on routine patrol on Route 1 early Wednesday morning, Officer Brad Bouton of the Baileyville Police Department stopped a 1988 Chevrolet truck driven by Michael Errington, 29, of Mexico after he noticed the vehicle had only one headlight.

Errington was charged with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor and possession of drug paraphernalia, said Police Chief Phil Harriman.

MacArthur, who was a passenger in the vehicle, was charged with violation of bail conditions. Assistant District Attorney Paul Cavanaugh said Wednesday that a condition of MacArthur’s bail was that he not use or possess alcohol. According to the chief, MacArthur allegedly had a blood-alcohol level of 0.03.

On Oct. 30, 1994, MacArthur was driving a Ford Thunderbird that collided head-on near the Triangle Greenhouse on Route 1 in Baring with a Volkswagen Beetle driven by Ronald Armstrong Jr., 30, of Baileyville. Armstrong and his three children, Anna Maria, 5, Jennifer, 7, and Daniel Paul, 8, were killed. MacArthur was arrested after the accident and later released on bail.

In December, a Washington County grand jury indicted MacArthur on four counts of manslaughter, five counts of operating while under the influence of intoxicating liquor, one count of aggravated assault, and one count of reckless assault with a dangerous weapon — the vehicle he was driving.

In February, a Superior Court judge ruled that MacArthur violated bail conditions when he was caught driving. Although the judge did not revoke MacArthur’s bail, she did increase it by an additional $30,000, with one surety or 25 percent cash with the conditions that he not drive a motor vehicle, use or possess alcohol, or have contact with the two witnesses who testified against him at the bail revocation hearing.

Cavanaugh said Wednesday that MacArthur was in the Washington County Jail, and the state planned to file a motion to revoke his bail. He said the case would be heard Friday in Superior Court at Ellsworth.