JUNE 4, 2021

A Lonoke County man has been arrested by Arkansas State Police following a year-long investigation into the hit and run death of a jogger along U.S. Highway 70 in North Little Rock.

Jason Jackson, 35, of Lonoke is charged with Leaving the Scene of an Accident Involving Personal Injury or Death.  He was arrested at the Lonoke County Probation Office on Tuesday (June 1st) by Special Agents of the state police Criminal Investigation Division.

The felony charge against Jackson stems from the death of Ervin Brendel, 51, of North Little Rock, who was jogging alongside the highway near Harris Road, east of Interstate 440 on April 21, 2020.  Brendel’s body was discovered the next day.  State police special agents assigned to the case maintain Brendel died from injuries sustained when he was struck by a vehicle driven by Jackson.

Jackson was initially incarcerated by Arkansas State Police at the Lonoke County Detention Center, but later transferred to the Pulaski County Detention Center.