End of Watch: 04/22/1991
Agency: Benton County Sheriff’s Office
County: Benton County
On Monday, April 22, 1991, Benton County Sheriff’s Deputy Dennis Bryant was killed by a drunk driver as he was responding to back-up another deputy who was in pursuit of a domestic violence assault suspect.
The suspect who killed Deputy Bryant had turned his lights off after leaving a fight at a local bar. He had turned off his lights after seeing the first deputy’s patrol chasing the DV suspect.
The driver struck Deputy Bryant’s car both men were killed in the head-on crash. Toxicology results indicated that the suspect’s BAC was 0.10 and he had smoked marijuana shortly before the collision.
Deputy Bryant served Benton County Sheriff’s Office for four years and had served in law enforcement for ten years. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, parents and brother.