BENTONVILLE -- A 66-year-old Centerton woman is dead after a car crash Wednesday in Bentonville.
Barbara Pahnke of Centerton was pronounced dead at Northwest Medical Center-Bentonville on Wednesday after a traffic accident at the intersection of Southeast Walton Boulevard and Southeast C Street, according to a news release from Bentonville police.
Police were notified about the accident at 2:22 p.m. Wednesday, according to the release.
Pahnke, who was driving a 2002 Dodge Neon, turned into eastbound traffic in front of a 2011 Nissan Titan driven by Brian Bowen, 60, of Avoca, according to Bentonville police. Bowen told police he swerved into another lane of traffic to avoid Pahnke's vehicle before the two vehicles collided. Bowen was taken to Mercy Medical Center in Rogers for injuries. He has been released from the hospital, according to the release. No citations were issued at the scene of the accident, according to the Bentonville release.
A preliminary accident report from Arkansas State Police puts the accident near 214 S.E. Walton Blvd. Bowen was driving east on Walton when he saw Pahnke's car stopped in front of him facing north, according to the state report. He swerved right to avoid the car, but Pahnke began backing up to get out of the road and the two cars collided.
Pahnke's death is the second fatal accident in Bentonville this year and the 341st traffic fatality recorded by the Arkansas State Police this year.
NW News on 09/04/2015