Arkansas Crashes Claim 7 Lives, Injure 5 More
Seven lives were lost, and five individuals sustained injuries in a series of accidents on Arkansas roads last week and on January 5, according to preliminary police reports.
Details of the Fatal Accidents
- January 5: Jason Dotson, 47, from Dover was killed on Interstate 40 in London around 10:38 p.m. He drove a 2024 Chevrolet Malibu against traffic, colliding first with a 2015 Volvo tractor-trailer and then with a 2025 International truck. The International’s driver, Anthoney Hale, 47, from Benton, was injured.
- January 10: Robert Furches, 71, from Millington, Tennessee, died at a Jonesboro intersection. His 2023 Freightliner struck a 2020 Volvo driven by Dinh Linh Hong, 55, from Morrow, Georgia. Hong suffered injuries in the incident.
- January 11: Jared Smith, 28, from Trumann, was killed on Interstate 555 in Poinsett County. He was struck by a northbound 2003 Dodge Ram while standing in traffic due to an earlier accident.
- January 11: Heather Lehr, 56, from Berryville, lost her life in a single-vehicle crash on U.S. 62. Her 2023 Chevrolet Bolt crossed the centerline, leaving the roadway and hitting a concrete wall.
- January 11: Demarcus Aaron, 27, from El Dorado, died after his 2013 Nissan struck a tree on Arkansas 355. Two passengers, Lakiyah Hopson, 22, from Camden, and Jonavan Robinson, 18, from El Dorado, were injured.
- January 12: Alene Drummond, 64, from Bigelow, was killed on Arkansas 10 when her 2005 Toyota Tundra left the roadway and hit a tree.
- January 12: Larry Neal, 56, from Bay, died in a head-on collision on Interstate 555. His 2000 Mazda crossed into oncoming traffic and struck a 2023 Freightliner, injuring its driver, Mark Torbert, 48, from Huntsboro, Alabama.
Summary of Fatalities and Injuries
Over the course of these incidents, the traffic accidents in Arkansas highlighted severe risks on the roads. Authorities have reported a total of seven fatalities and five injuries linked to these crashes, raising ongoing concerns about road safety in the state.
