Tragedy struck Arkansas roadways over the past several days, claiming multiple lives in separate, unrelated crashes in NEA.
Late Thursday (August 18) in Independence County, a Pocahontas man was killed in a traffic accident. At about 9:37 PM, Matthew Giles Jansen, 41, of Pocahontas, was on a 2022 Harley Davidson. While on facing south on Highway 167 at the intersection with Lawrence Street, Jansen stopped at a red light. At the same time, a 2013 Nissan Altima was traveling southbound. The light turned green, State Police reported, and the Nissan struck the Harley from behind. The driver of the Nissan, Ronette Lindsey Rush, 31, of Smithville, was injured in the accident. Conditions were clear at the time of the wreck.
On Saturday (August 20), a Memphis man was killed in rural St. Francis County on I-40. A 1989 Volvo 740 Series was towing a 1992 Ford Club Wagon on the shoulder of I-40 near the 252 mile marker. At about 4:49 PM the tow truck driver began entering the right traffic lane when a 2007 Peterbilt truck, traveling faster in the same lane, struck them. The tow truck and the vehicle being towed lost control coming to a final rest in the southern ditch. Allen L. Evans, 70, of Memphis, was killed. The incident report says the drivers of the tow truck and the other large truck were not injured. Conditions were clear at the time of the wreck.
On Sunday (August 21), a Paragould man was killed and several others injured in a crash in rural Greene County. At about 3:13 PM on Highway 49 north of Halliday, a 1995 GMC 1500 was traveling southbound when State Police say it crossed both lanes of traffic and left the improved portion of the traffic lanes without braking or correcting. The vehicle entered the ditch and then struck a large tree, causing the truck to turn onto it’s passenger side and come to a rest partially submerged in water facing south. The driver, Edward James Workman, 54, of Paragould, died. Three others were injured: Christina Lewis, 43, Chasity Workman, 18, and James Milton, 25, all of Paragould.
Later on Sunday, an Osceola woman was killed in a crash in rural Mississippi County. At about 4:45 PM, a 2003 Chevrolet was driving eastbound on State Highway 140 about a quarter of a mile east of State Highway 77. At the same time, a 2015 Nissan was traveling westbound on the same road. The report states that the Chevrolet veered left entering the westbound lane and struck the Nissan head on. The Chevy began to roll over, sliding east before coming to a stop. The Nissan began a clockwise revolution exiting the roadway right coming to a final rest in the roadside grassy ditch. The driver of the Nissan, Mary Alexander, 52, of Osceola, was killed. The driver of the truck, Robert Smith Jr., 34, of Osceola, was injured. Conditions were clear at the time of the accident.
A previous version of this story incorrectly identified the vehicles in the first traffic accident report. We have corrected the mistake and regret the error.
I watched about 5 seconds in and I had to turn it off that was too violent for me I don’t know what he did to deserve all that but I
can’t be that bad