Five motorists were killed in crashes across five counties over about an eight-hour span on Sunday, according to preliminary reports by Arkansas State Police.
Ronnie E. Johnson, 73, of Eufaula, Okla., died when his 1999 Harley Davidson motorcycle ran off the road in rural Franklin County about 2:45 p.m. near the intersection of Arkansas 23 North and Shores Lake Road, according to troopers. Johnson, heading south, reportedly failed to negotiate a curve to the left and ran off the right side of the road, where his motorcycle overturned.
Summer Lynn Harris, 25, of Pine Bluff was killed on Interstate 530 in Saline County when her 2011 Honda Civic, driving south in the rain, ran off the west side of the highway at a high rate of speed and crashed head-on into a tree at about 11:45 a.m., one report states.
Beth Hessler, 77, of Hereford, Pa., died on Interstate 30 near Hope in Hempstead County after the 2004 Mercury van she was driving ran off the road, according to a separate report. Troopers said the van was eastbound when it ran off the north side of the highway and struck several trees.
Her passenger, a 71-year-old Kutztown, Pa. man, was also injured, the report states.
Authorities said Sara Cansler, 21, of Redfield was fatally injured in a 2:40 p.m. collision in Redfield. Cansler was heading east in the rain when her 2017 Chevrolet Cruze crossed the center line and struck a 2016 GMC Sierra driving west. The GMC’s driver, as well as a minor in that vehicle, were injured, a preliminary report states.
Troopers said Mark Thomas Christiansen, 18, of Pangburn died following a crash shortly after 8:00 p.m. crash in White County. Christenson, driving a 2000 Jeep Laredo, was traveling north on Arkansas 16 in Albion at a high rate of speed when he collided with a 2005 Pontiac G6 at the intersection with Reaper Road, a preliminary report states.
The driver of the Pontiac, after stopping at the Reaper Road stop sign, failed to yield and struck Christiansen's Jeep on the front left side, according to the report. Troopers said the Jeep rolled over several times, throwing Christiansen from the vehicle.