Attorney says Arkansas's Good Samaritan law shields people who act in good faith to save someone in immediate danger

An Arkansas attorney told THV 11 that the state's Good Samaritan law can shield people from civil liability when they break into a vehicle to rescue a person in immediate danger, but there are key limits to the protection.

Taylor King, an attorney in Central Arkansas, said callers should first contact 911 and that the law protects people who act "in good faith" and are not seeking compensation. "Your first call should be to 911," King said. "As long as these protections apply, as long as that person is acting in good faith, not seeking compensation, and they're not acting in a way that's considered gross negligence or willful misconduct."

King clarified limits: the protection generally does not cover acts that amount to gross negligence or willful misconduct, and Arkansas has not extended the statute to include animals. "So if you see a dog in distress, in a hot situation, hot car, you may not be protected," King said, and advised calling 911 in those situations.

Why it matters: The legal protection can influence whether bystanders intervene in life'threatening situations inside vehicles. The attorney noted that the law is intended to lower the civil liability barrier for rescuers while preserving limits for reckless conduct.

Expert context: The report also noted experts say temperatures inside parked cars can climb by about 20 degrees in 10 minutes, making immediate action critical during hot months. Those scientific details underline the urgency that often accompanies Good Samaritan decisions.

What the transcript does not include: The reporter did not present a statutory citation or full text of the Arkansas law in the audio transcript, and no official spokesperson from state government was quoted on the statute's interpretation in this segment.

In Little Rock, Catherine Rowley, THV 11 news.