Glaring sunlight and heavy traffic were blamed for an 11-car pileup at 7:30 a.m. Thursday near mile-marker 81 in the southbound lanes of Interstate 540.

A two-car accident set off a chain of four other accidents, according to reports from Arkansas State Police. One woman was injured in the incident.

Michael Bearden, 53, of Bentonville was southbound in a Toyota Avalon and saw slower traffic ahead, according to the reports. Bearden began to brake and his vehicle was hit in the rear by a Toyota Cruiser driven by Robert Davis, 54, of Bentonville. Bearden’s vehicle ended up in the median and Davis’ vehicle ended up on the shoulder. Davis, Bearden and Bearden’s passenger Marlin Bearden were uninjured.

That accident happened in front of Alexandra Smith, 25, of Bentonville. Smith saw the first accident and slowed. Luke Harris, 17, of Bentonville, attempted to steer into the median to avoid Smith, but Harris’ Volvo XC90 hit the left rear of Smith’s Hyundai Elantra, according to the report. Both vehicles ended up in the median. Harris hit a post connected to the cable barrier. Smith and Harris were not injured.

Seeing the other accidents, Darren D. Cawley, 24, of Rogers, hit the brakes on his 2004 Oldsmobile Alero. Martin E. Capehart Jr., 55, of Bentonville then hit Cawley’s Alero from behind with his 2005 Toyota Scion. Capehart did not see Cawley slow because of the bright sunlight, according to the report.

Sandra Draper, 54, of Pea Ridge also couldn’t see the accident because of the sunlight and her vehicle hit Capehart’s Scion from behind. Draper was driving a 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier. Draper’s car was hit by a Toyota 4Runner driven by Seth McCraine, 28, of Pea Ridge, who didn’t see the accident because of the bright sun. Jessica Shrader, 36, of Pea Ridge hit McCraine’s 4Runner with her 2005 Dodge pickup and couldn’t see the other accident because of the sunlight.

Draper was taken to Mercy Medical Center in Rogers where she was in stable condition, according to the report.

Brittany Fagan, 27, of Pea Ridge saw vehicles colliding in front of her and hit her brakes. Fagan’s 2010 Suzuki was hit by a 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe, driven by Donna J. Jones, 52, of Bentonville. Fagan, Jones and a 5-year-old passenger in Jones’ car were not hurt.