06/09/17  Since Last Thursday, 5 People Have Died On State Highways

 

A Bosier City, Louisiana woman and a minor child from Texarkana were killed in a one vehicle crash in Miller County on Thursday. According to State Police, a 1998 Toyota Corolla driven by 52 year old Rone Verita of Bosier City was southbound on I-49 at Doddridge, when the vehicle veered off the left shoulder of the road, overturning and coming to rest in the median. Verita and all the minor children, two from Texarkana, one from Hope and two from Conway were taken to hospitals in Texarkana and Shreveport for treatment. Verita and one of the minor children died of their injuries. The weather was clear, roadway dry at the time of the crash at 9:52 Thursday morning. State Trooper Brent Walker investigated. The deaths were the 202 and 203 fatalities of the year.

A 20 year old Pocahontas man died in a one vehicle crash on June 2,  in  Randolph County. According to a State Police report, a 2000 Jeep, driven by Joie McAbee of Pocahontas was northbound on highway 115 at a high rate of speed and lost control of the vehicle, left the roadway and overturned. McAbee died of his injuries at a nearby hospital. The weather was clear, roadway dry at the time of the crash at 8:02pm on June 2.  McAbee's death was the 204 traffic fatality of the year.

On Friday afternoon a 34 year old Fayetteville man was killed in a crash involving a motorcycle and a car. The State Police reported that a 2004 Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by Myles A. McCullough of Fayetteville was heading south on highway-45 north when he lost control of the bike negotiating a right hand curve and laid the motorcycle over on its right side. He and the vehicle continued into oncoming traffic lanes where it collided with a northbound car. McCullough died at the scene. Driver of the other vehicle was not identified in the report. Weather conditions were clear, the roadway dry at the time of the crash Friday afternoon at 3:23. State Trooper Taylor S. Elkins investigated. It was Arkansas' 205 traffic fatality of the year.

Saturday, a 33 year old Blytheville man died when his Suzuki 4 wheeler went out control and crashed on highway 155 north in Mississippi County. The 4 wheeler, driven by Justin Braxton of Blytheville, along with two other Suzuki 4 wheelers all went out of control and crashed. Braxton was dead at the scene. 41 year old Odaya Chapman of Blytheville and 35 year old Jewel Goldsberry of Blytheville were injured and all taken to a Memphis hospital for treatment. The weather was clear, roadway dry at the time of the crash at 11:07 Saturday night. State trooper Caleb Landreth investigated. That was the 206 highway death death this year.


Another man has died from an earlier accident. State Police reported that on June 4 a Nashville, Arkansas man has died from a one vehicle crash on highway 71 at mile marker two. According to the report, a 2004 GMC Sierra driven by Tyler B. Willis of Nashville was headed north on 71, failed to negotiate a curve, left the road and struck a tree. Willis was transported to St. Michaels Hospital in Texarkana where he later died of his injuries. The weather was cloudy..roadway wet at the time of the crash at 3:45am on June 4. Trooper First Class Clayton McWilliams of the State Police investigated.