Honduran man ‘illegally residing’ in Arkansas arrested in woman’s death

PULASKI COUNTY, Ark. (KAIT) - A Honduran man who has been “illegally residing” in Arkansas faces multiple charges after state police said he killed a woman in a head-on crash.

Arkansas State Police arrested 30-year-old Maynor Yair Sorto-Herrera on suspicion of driving under the influence and negligent homicide.

According to a Department of Public Safety news release, the charges stem from a 5:44 a.m. crash Sunday, Sept. 8, on Arch Street in Pulaski County.

ASP said Sort-Herrera was southbound when his 2008 Ford F-150 crossed into the northbound lane and struck a 2016 Honda CRV driven by 48-year-old Jennifer Ann Morton of Little Rock.

According to ASP, Morton was a respiratory therapist in the Infant Toddler Unit at Arkansas Children’s Hospital.

When police arrived, they reported finding Sorto-Herrera walking away from the scene.

He was taken to UAMS for treatment, then later transported to the Pulaski County Detention Center, where he was charged with the following:

Negligent homicide
Battery
Driving under the influence
Violation of the concealed weapons act
Reckless driving
Driving without a license
Failure to stop after an accident with death
Other traffic violations

According to ASP, Sorto-Herrera is a native of Honduras who has been illegally residing in Alexander.

The U.S. Border Patrol apprehended him in October 2018 near Laredo, Texas, and returned to Honduras on Nov. 5, 2018, the news release said.

“It is unclear when he returned to the United States,” the news release said, adding that he is being held for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

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