4 wrecks in state kill 5 people

At least five people died after four crashes on state roadways Thursday, according to preliminary reports from the Arkansas State Police.

A 25-year-old Fayetteville man died after he lost control while racing another vehicle about 6:15 p.m. Thursday, state police reported.

Kamryn Smith was driving a 2003 Nissan Altima north on Oakland Avenue in Fayetteville when he lost control of the vehicle and struck a concrete culvert at West Lawson Street. Smith was pronounced dead at the scene, according to a Fayetteville police news release.

A 58-year-old Oklahoma man died in Benton County after his truck overturned and struck another vehicle Thursday, authorities said.

Harold Gene Ellis was driving a Freightliner truck north on Arkansas 43 near Cherokee City when he lost control on a curve shortly before 10:20 a.m.

Police said the truck crossed the centerline and overturned, striking a 2017 Dodge Ram in the southbound lane.

Ellis, a resident of Bernice,

Okla., suffered fatal injuries in the wreck. Two other people were reported to be injured, though state police did not identify them or list the extent of their injuries

A 43-year-old Wynne man died Thursday night after his car struck a pickup and then veered into a utility pole during a police chase, authorities said.

Shortly after 8:45 p.m., Mark Halk was driving a 1999 Dodge Avenger east on Hamilton Avenue near Falls Boulevard in Wynne, according to a state police report.

Halk’s car “failed to yield at a red light” and struck a northbound pickup, state police wrote, noting the Avenger then crashed into a utility pole.

Liz Chapman, a spokesman for the state police, said the crash happened during a police chase, though she didn’t have more details.

Chapman referred all questions about the chase to the Wynne Police Department, which did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

Halk suffered fatal injuries, according to the state police report. Two other people were listed as being hurt, though the report didn’t provide more details about them.

Two people from Texarkana died Thursday in a headon crash that occurred as the vehicle they were in moved to pass another on a curve, authorities said.

State police said it happened about 4:40 p.m. on Arkansas 355 south of Tollette.

Marcus Fortman, 25, was driving a 2014 Chevrolet north when he “attempted to pass a vehicle in a right-hand curve” and crashed head-on into a southbound 2003 Ford, according to a state police report.

Fortman and a passenger in his vehicle, 54-year-old Clarence Sims, suffered fatal injuries, state police said. The report also listed three other people as being hurt in the wreck, though it didn’t identify them or detail the extent of their injuries.

The weather was clear at the time of all four crashes, state police reported.