4 people killed, 4 more hurt in state-road wrecks Monday

Four people were killed and four more hurt in three wrecks on Arkansas roads Monday, according to preliminary fatality reports from the Arkansas State Police.

Christopher Lawrence, 50, of Mena was killed around 5 a.m. Monday when the 2005 Toyota he was driving south on U.S. 71 near Y City crossed the center line and collided head-on with a 2019 Freightliner headed north, according to a report.

Lawrence was pronounced dead at the scene, the report says. The driver of the truck, Eric Jones, 50, of New Boston, Texas, was lightly injured and taken to Mercy Hospital Waldron for treatment, the report says.

Clarence Renaud, 79, of Beebe was killed in a head-on collision around 9:16 a.m. Monday when the 2014 Nissan he was driving the wrong way on U.S. 67 in rural White County collided with a 2018 Dodge, according to a report.

John Brandon, 66, of Searcy, who was driving the Dodge, and two passengers in that vehicle — Lee Ann Stough, 64, of Searcy and Leah Ruddell, 43, of Judsonia — were hurt in the crash and taken to an area hospital, the report says.

Natasha Laliberte, 36, of Searcy and James Medley, 24, of Hot Springs died around 8:30 p.m. Monday when the 2005 Ford Mustang Laliberte driving near 3958 Amity Road outside Pearcy left the road and ran into a ditch, according to a report.

The car struck a tree and overturned before hitting a second tree and flipping again, coming to rest in a ditch, the report says.

State troopers investigating each of the three crashes on Monday reported that the weather was clear and the road was dry at the time.