Teacher charged with DWI, careless driving, and drug possession

PARAGOULD, Ark. (KAIT) - Paragould police arrested a teacher with the Paragould School District after they say he was found driving while intoxicated.

According to a police report, an officer responded to a crash on Sunday, Feb. 2, at 12:30 p.m. involving a black Yukon and a white Jeep in front of the Burger King.

While getting information from both drivers, the officer noticed the Jeep driver, Kingston Edgar, had “slow and slightly slurred speech as well as being uneasy on his feet.”

After believing Edgar to be under the influence, the officer performed the standardized field sobriety test.

Edgar went through several sobriety tests, including the walk and turn and the one-leg stand. During the test, the officer reported that Edgar swayed while balancing and used his arms to balance. The officer stated that “due to [his] experience, this is another indicator of intoxication due to being well off the time of 30 seconds.”

The officer asked if Edgar had taken any medicine or had been drinking, which Edgar told the officer that he “did not take medicine nor had he been drinking alcohol.” According to the incident report, a couple on the scene who went to church with Edgar told the officer that he does take medication.

Police took Edgar to the police department for a second set of field sobriety tests, which he also failed.

During the fingerprint process, police noticed that Edgar’s eyes were closed and “appeared to be asleep while standing.”

Paragould Police Sgt. Taylor Beckett found a Schedule 4 pill, later identified as Alprazolam .25 mg. Police said it was not in a prescription bottle.

Police took Edgar to the Greene County jail and charged him with driving while intoxicated in the 1st degree, careless/prohibited driving, and possession of a controlled substance 4 less than 28 grams.

According to the Paragould School District website, Edgar is a special education teacher at Baldwin Elementary School.

Paragould School District Superintendent Dr. Nick Jankoviak released the following statement:

Edgar’s court date is scheduled for Feb. 3.

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