NORTHWEST ARKANSAS — An ambulance involved in a fatal crash was in the midst of transporting a patient, according to officials with the Arkansas State Police.
Two Siloam Springs residents died in a two-vehicle accident early Sunday morning on U.S. 412, west of Springdale, according to the Arkansas State Police.
Two people died at the crash site and three others were taken to local hospitals.
Sasha I. Hendricks, 26, of 250-B N. Madison St., and Ronald E. Pugh II, 29, of 16833 Digby Drive, the driver and passenger of a 2001 Nissan Altima, were pronounced dead at the scene by the Benton County Coroner, according to police.
Three other people in the ambulance, Jennilee Norell, 28, of 36005 S. 610 Road in Jay, Okla., Glenda J. Christensen, 41, of 160 N. D St. in Centerton and Wendy M. Albright, 31, of 11570 McCratic Road in Lincoln, were injured in the collision.
The ambulance was carrying a medic, a patient and the driver, state police said. It was not running using its lights or siren, according to police.
Blood was drawn from both drivers and sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab, an official with the State Police said.
The Altima driven by Hendricks was northbound on Chamber Springs Road approaching U.S. 412, according to a news release from the Arkansas State Police.
A Pulse Ambulance was eastbound on U.S. 412, was approaching Chamber Springs Road when Hendricks’ vehicle failed to stop at the stop sign and began crossing the eastbound lanes of U.S. 412, according to police.
The front of the ambulance struck the driver’s side of the Nissan and pushed it into the median, according to the police report.
Pulse Ambulance is a patient-transfer service that operates out of Siloam Springs.
The two members of the Pulse staff were transported to the Siloam Springs Hospital where they were treated and released, an official with Pulse said.
The patient was treated at Northwest Medical Center-Springdale and transferred to another facility, according to a hospital spokesman.
State police did not list who the patient was on the ambulance and privacy guidelines prohibit hospitals and emergency services from disclosing patient information.
The accident happened at 2:15 a.m.