01/16/17  Traffic Deaths Rise To 14 In Arkansas

 

An 84 year old Van Buren, Arkansas woman became Arkansas' 11th traffic fatality of the year on January 11.  According to State Police,  Wilma Glass of Van Buren was crossing U.S. Highway 64-71,  2005 Jeep Wrangler, headed east in the outside lane struck Glass and she was killed. The report does not identify the driver of the Jeep. The weather conditions were clean, roadway dry at the time of the accident at 7:33 Wednesday night. Sargent Lawrence R. Brown of the Van Buren Police Department investigated the accident.

Three more people died on Arkansas roadways on Friday.  The drivers of both vehicles were killed in a head-on crash on highway 61, south of Blytheville Friday afternoon. According to a preliminary State Police report a 2004 Honda, driven by 47 year old Dennis Stone of Blytheville was northbound on 61, crossed the center line and struck a 2015 Dodge driven by 28 year old Kaylam Diggs of Oceola head-on. A passenger in Diggs' vehicle, 25 year old Nicholas Key of Osceola was injured. The injured were taken to a Memphis Hospital for treatment. It was raining at the time of the crash, at 4:26 Friday afternoon. State Trooper Jason Myers investigated. Stone and Diggs' deaths were the 12th and 13th traffic fatalities of the year.

The 14th traffic fatality this year was recorded in Hempstead County.  31 year old Jirell Sockwell of Prescott died when his 2006 Buick Lacross went out of control as Sockwell was negotiating a curve on state highway 409 east of Deann. The vehicle struck a tree and overturned. Sockwell was pronounced dead at the scene. The weather was cloudy and roadway wet at the time of the crash at 3:53 Friday afternoon. State Trooper Darren Henley investigated.