The state/region in brief

Arkansas 27 crash

leaves two dead

RUSSELLVILLE - Arkansas State Police say two people are dead after a pickup truck crashed into a tree on Thanksgiving morning.

State police say the crash happened on Arkansas 27 in Pope County shortly before 1 a.m. Thursday. A preliminary report says 34-year-old James Killer lost control of his truck on a curve and crashed into a tree.

Killer, who was from Atkins, died in the crash along with his passenger, 32-year-old Nicole Tackett of Dover.

• THE ASSOCIATED PRESSMother of teenager settles suit in death

OKLAHOMA CITY - The mother of a teenager who died during an offseason conditioning workout has settled her lawsuit against Putnam City Public Schools.

Traquan James Patton died on Aug. 21, 2010, a day after he collapsed in the heat during a 3.1-mile run at a park across from Putnam City High School. The 16-year-old died of hyperthermia after moving to the district two weeks earlier.

The Oklahoman reports that Patton’s mother, LaTasha Patton, settled her lawsuit this month with the school district for $97,500.

Attorneys representing Patton’s mother said in a legal brief that the teen was abandoned “during his most dangerous part of the run.” But attorney Laura Holmes, representing the district, says Patton’s death was caused not by improper supervision but from the 100-degree heat.

• THE ASSOCIATED PRESSPolice say cabdriver was shot in the neck

LAWTON, Okla. - Police in Lawton are investigating after a cabdriver was shot by two of his passengers.

Lawton police Capt. Craig Akard says the cabdriver was shot in the neck late Wednesday after picking up two juvenile passengers.

Akard says the cabdriver was shot as he was gathering change for the two passengers. He says the two males jumped from the taxi and ran away after shooting the driver.

Police say the driver’s injuries aren’t life-threatening and he was able to drive himself to a hospital.

Authorities say no money was taken from the driver and they aren’t sure why the passengers opened fire.

No arrests have been made.

• THE ASSOCIATED PRESSMissing Little Rock man found at UAMS

LITTLE ROCK - A Little Rock man who had been reported missing has been found safe in the psychiatric unit of a Little Rock hospital.

Police said Friday that 28-year-old Adam Beasley was found at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences where he was undergoing treatment.

Beasley was reported missing Thanksgiving Day after last been seen about 12:15 p.m. at a convenience store in west Little Rock.

Police say Beasley’s sister told officers that Beasley was sitting in her car whena police car drove onto the parking lot and he got out of the car and ran away.

How Beasley wound up at UAMS was not released.

• THE ASSOCIATED PRESSTwo more charged in killings of three

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Two more people have been charged in an Independence home invasion that left three people dead and a 12-year-old boy critically injured.

The Jackson County prosecutor’s office said Thursday that 22-year-old Raul Soto of Kansas City, Kan., and 37-year-old Bobby Jo Phillips of Independence face nine felony counts, including three counts of first-degree murder. Two other men, 32-year-old Antonio Cervantes III and 33-year-old Kevin M. Finley, were charged Wednesday with first-degree murder and other counts.

All four defendants are accused in the Nov. 16 shootings that killed 48-yearold Maria Hernandez; her 20-year-old son, Antonio Hernandez; and Tomas Dominguez, previously identified as Tomas Madrigal. A 12-year-old boy is recovering from critical injuries.

Police said robbery and drugs were the apparent motive. No information was available on whether the suspects had lawyers.

• THE ASSOCIATED PRESSMissouri shooting suspect kills himself

GRAIN VALLEY, Mo.

• Kansas City area police say a man suspected of shooting a woman in Grain Valley has committed suicide after an encounter with California police.

Grain Valley Sgt. Jeff Palecek said in a news release that detectives had been searching for Alan D.

Lovelace Jr. since the woman was shot and critically injured Tuesday. Lovelace hadn’t been charged in that shooting.

San Diego police Lt. Andra Brown says officers there found Lovelace in the victim’s stolen minivan and tried to pull him over, but Lovelace didn’t immediately comply with the order to stop.

She said when Lovelace did stop, officers approached his vehicle and found him dead with an apparently selfinflicted gunshot wound.