Lawrence man arrested in New Year’s Day crash that killed 1, injured 2 others

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Lawrence police on Monday arrested the man who was driving a vehicle that struck another vehicle head-on shortly after midnight on New Year’s Day, killing one passenger and seriously injuring two others.

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Adrian Joel Martinez, 38, of Lawrence, was arrested on suspicion of murder in the second degree and DUI aggravated battery, Lawrence police Lt. David Ernst said via email Tuesday morning.

The crash killed 20-year-0ld James Henderson Jr., of Lawrence, and seriously injured two other Lawrence residents.

The crash was reported around 12:15 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 1, in the 2500 block of West Sixth Street. That’s just west of Iowa Street, near Sixth Street and Rockledge and Crestline roads.

“Preliminary information suggests a westbound vehicle went left of center and struck an eastbound vehicle,” Ernst said at the time.

The case has been forwarded to the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office for charging consideration, Ernst said. Martinez had not been formally charged as of Tuesday morning.

All arrestees and defendants in criminal cases should be presumed not guilty unless and until they are convicted.

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