Arkansas (KNWA/KFTA) — At least eight people were killed in Arkansas in the first four days of 2021 — six by vehicle and two by plane, according to law enforcement agencies.

Friday, January 1, 2021, at 1 a.m., a woman from Randolph County was killed in a crash on State Highway 34, headed west, in Lawrence County, according to the Arkansas State Police (ASP) preliminary fatal crash summary. Thunder Tye Finney, 22, of Pocahontas, was a passenger in a Chevrolet truck driven by Christopher J. Finney, 22, also of Pocahontas. The driver lost control of the truck, left the road, and overturned. Christopher was taken to an area hospital for his injuries, according to the ASP report.
About three hours later in Sevier County, Rodricus U. Townsend, 23, of Texarkana, lost control of his vehicle while negotiating a curve eastbound on U.S. Highway 371. Townsend rolled his 2008 Honda Pilot into a ditch. The Sevier County Coroner pronounced him dead that the scene at 3:52 a.m. The road condition at the time was wet due to rain, according to the ASP preliminary fatal crash summary.
A preliminary crash summary, by the ASP, states an incident happened in Jonesboro, on Friday, January 1 at 8:15 p.m. Julianna Valle, 21, from Farmington, was killed in the crash. She was a passenger in an SUV driven by Devonte Stanback, 28, of Wynne. The 2020 Toyota Highlander left the road in the area of Harrisburg Road, went up a ditch embankment, hit a utility pole, brick fence, went into the air, and finally landed in the yard of an apartment complex. Stanback and three others, including two minors, were injured. Initial reports from those in the area indicated the SUV may have been involved in a high-speed chase that began in Brookland and ended at the apartment complex.
On Friday night, January 1, a Little Rock man hit a cable barrier, traveled off the roadway, and hit two large trees. According to the ASP preliminary crash summary Richard Bailey, 58, was driving a 1999 Buick Regal north on I-530 when he hit the cable on the left side of the road at mile marker 11. The Saline County Deputy Coroner pronounced him deceased at midnight on January 2, 2021.

In Washington County, two people were killed on Interstate 49 at mile marker 48, in Westfork, on Saturday morning, January 2. Two men from Fort Smith, Francisco Vallecillo, 28, and Carlos Garcia, 31, were standing outside their cars, part of a five-car pile-up, and were killed, another person, Kanene Young, 27, was also standing outside of his vehicle and was hurt.
The five vehicles lost control in the I-49 northbound crash at the north end of the bridge during wet and icy road conditions. The cars left the east side roadway hitting all three men on the east side. Vallecillo and Garcia were pronounced dead at the scene by the Washington County coroner. Young was transported to Washington Regional, according to the Arkansas State Police preliminary summary report.
At 9:44 a.m. on Monday, January 4, the Poinsett County Sheriff said two people died in a plane crash. Poinsett County is located in the state’s northeastern part, and the crash happened in the county’s northwest quadrant. The twin-engine Hawker Beechcraft crashed in a field near Flag Slough Lane. The plane departed from Jonesboro and was headed to Conway, a distance of about 130 miles. The FAA and NTSB have been notified about the crash. An investigation is underway.