A serious accident that occurred Tuesday afternoon on Highway 15 resulted in one fatality, according to the Arkansas State Police.
Herman C. Minchew, 80, of El Dorado was killed in the crash, which occurred shortly after noon on Nov. 14, about 4.5 miles south of Parkers Chapel High School.
According to a preliminary crash report from the ASP, Minchew was headed north in a 1999 Chevy Suburban when the crash happened. A 1998 model Peterbilt 18-wheeler hauling gravel, meanwhile, was headed south.
The crash report states that Minchew crossed the center line and struck the 18-wheeler head on.
Sheriff Ricky Roberts said on Tuesday that one injured person was transported to a local hospital with critical injuries. No other people involved in the accident, including the truck driver, were listed in the ASP report, indicating that Minchew was initially treated for his injuries.
Weather and road conditions at the time of the accident were reportedly clear and dry.
This was the 454th fatal crash on an Arkansas highway so far this year, and Minchew was the 497th person to be killed in such a wreck.
Minchew was the sixth Union County resident to be killed in an Arkansas highway accident this year.
Shawn D. Samuels, 33, was killed in a fiery, single-vehicle crash on Oct. 7. Charles Young, 76, died on Oct. 5 due to injuries from a Sept. 19 accident on I-530. Cam'ron R. Arredondo, 21, of El Dorado, was killed Sept. 3 in a single-vehicle accident. Terry S. Sanders, 60, died in a motorcycle accident on U.S. 167 on Aug. 25. Jimmy Owens, 63, was killed on May 11 when his vehicle struck a tree. Kevin S. Dore, 67, died in a single-vehicle accident on May 2.
The ASP has issued an advisory to state residents to drive safely as they celebrate the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. According to a press release from the agency, 361 people across the country were killed in traffic accidents this time last year, almost half of those due to people not wearing seatbelts.
A Click It or Ticket safety campaign will start on Monday, Nov. 20, and continue through Sunday, Nov. 26. State and local police will step up enforcement of the state's seatbelt laws, which require drivers and front-seat passengers, as well as anyone under the age of 15 or anyone riding with a restricted driver, to buckle up.
"Buckle your seat belt to stay safe and obey the law," Arkansas Public Safety Sec. Col. Mike Hagar said. "Whether you're driving cross-country or across town, whether it is day or night, it is essential that you wear a seatbelt. It's your best defense if involved in a crash and may mean the difference between life and death."