The Arkansas State Police reported only three fatal accidents this past week but the statewide death toll jumped to 150 for the year.
Two other Arkansas residents died of injuries received in previous accidents that were not reported pending notification of next of kin while one involved a victim that passed away from an accident earlier in the month.
Elesa K. Roberts, 49, of Fouke died of injuries sustained in an accident on April 12, but the report in the hit and run incident was not released until she passed on April 17.
According to the report, Roberts was a pedestrian on the side of I-49 near the 18 mile market when she was struck by an unknown vehicle. Investigators said circumstances surrounding the death are unclear, even as to the time Roberts was actually struck by the hit-and-run driver.
Robert’s body was taken to the Arkansas State Crime lab for an autopsy.
On Tuesday, a 51-year-old Forrest City man was killed after a collision sent his vehicle into a ditch in Saint Francis County.
Kenneth McCain was driving a 2012 Dodge north on state Highway 1 south of Colt around 7:50 p.m. when the Dodge rear-ended a 2007 Toyota traveling in the same direction and sent that vehicle into a ditch.
The Dodge veered off the roadway into the ditch, struck an embankment and overturned, the report said.
McCain suffered fatal injuries. The Toyota’s driver, 43-year-old Stacy Baskins of Colt, was reportedly injured in the wreck and taken to Regional One Health in Memphis.
An 82-year-old Arkansas woman suffered fatal injuries in a crash between a 2017 Mercedes and a 1998 Peterbilt truck in Pike County on Thursday, April 13.
Ruth Marshall of De Queen was a passenger in the Mercedes. No other injuries were reported. The driver of the Mercedes was not named.
According to the ASP report, both vehicles were heading west on state Highway 70 near New Hope when the Mercedes collided with the tractor-trailer while attempting to make a left-hand turn. The driver of the Mercedes did not see the truck before making the turn, police said.
The wreck occurred in rainy and cloudy conditions and the roadway was wet, possibly leading to the car hydroplaning. A minor passenger was also injured in the accident.
George F. Perez, 23, of Springdale died last Monday when thee 2009 Ford passenger care he was driving east on County Line Road in Benton County drifted off the roadway and struck a tree.
A Conway motorcyclist succumbed to his injuries five days after a two-vehicle crash in Conway on April 14.
According to the report filed last Wednesday with the ASP, Susan Jane Kahon, 74, of Dover, was attempting to make a left turn on East Oak Street in front of Stephen Paul Kenney.
Kenney, 69, was riding a Yamaha V95 motorcycle west on U.S. Highway 64, hit the passenger side of Kahon’s 2017 Chevrolet Malibu, which was headed east.
Kenney was taken to Baptist Health Medical Center in Little Rock. He died of his injuries about 9 a.m. Wednesday, according to the report.
A Lexa man died following a motorcycle crash in Crittenden County on Wednesday night.
Marty S. Byers, 57, was killed in the crash, according to the ASP report.
Byers was driving a 2014 Victory motorcycle west on Interstate 40 around 7:45 p.m. The crash happened near mile marker 283.
The motorcycle was traveling in the center lane then left the road to the right. It came to rest on its side facing northwest on the right side of the shoulder, according to the ASP crash report.
The road was dry and weather conditions were clear at the time of the crash.
