A 76-year-old Walnut Ridge woman lost her life Saturday night after a head-on crash on State Highway 1 in rural Craighead County, Arkansas.
Three others were injured in the collision, which occurred during clear weather conditions on what should have been a quiet late-night stretch of road.
According to a preliminary fatal crash summary released by the Arkansas State Police, the incident took place on May 30 at approximately 10:15 p.m. near the 8831 block of Highway 1 South, close to the intersection of Allen Hester Road.
Investigating Trooper Cody Jackson documented the sequence of events that ended with one person dead and three others transported to area hospitals.
Frankie Upton was driving a 2002 Buick LeSabre southbound on State Highway 1 when her vehicle crossed the centerline and struck an oncoming 2020 Cadillac XT4 head-on.
The Cadillac, traveling northbound and driven by 47-year-old Jean Goza of Jonesboro, left the roadway and overturned following the impact.
Upton was pronounced dead at the scene. Her body was taken to Emerson Funeral Home, and her next of kin have been notified.
Three Others Injured and Transported to Hospital
The crash injured three Jonesboro residents. Tammy Upton, 54, was a passenger in the Buick LeSabre with Frankie Upton at the time of the collision. Jean Goza, 47, the driver of the Cadillac, and Bobby Goza, 48, who was riding as a passenger in the Cadillac, were also injured.
Emergency responders transported all three to St. Bernards Medical Center and NEA Baptist Hospital for treatment. A medical helicopter was called to the scene, given the severity of the situation. The specific extent of their injuries has not been publicly released.
Trooper Jackson noted in his report that weather conditions at the time were clear and the roadway was dry, ruling out environmental factors as a contributing cause. The crash remains under active investigation by the Arkansas State Police.
A Community Left Grieving
Crashes of this nature leave a lasting mark on small communities across northeast Arkansas, where many residents know one another and news of a tragedy travels fast. Walnut Ridge, located in Lawrence County, is a close-knit town, and the loss of a 76-year-old community member under such sudden and violent circumstances is felt widely.
Highway 1 has seen its share of serious accidents over the years, and Saturday night’s collision serves as another reminder of how quickly conditions on rural highways can turn fatal, even when the weather is clear and the roads are dry.
Centerline crossings remain one of the most dangerous and deadly causes of head-on collisions on two-lane roads throughout the state.
Arkansas State Police continue to investigate the circumstances of the crash to determine what caused Upton’s vehicle to cross into oncoming traffic. No further details about contributing factors have been released at this time.
Anyone with information related to the crash is encouraged to contact the Arkansas State Police. The families of those involved have asked for privacy as they cope with the loss and tend to those who were injured in the collision.
