UPDATE: A Franklin County man was arrested Wednesday, December 23 by Arkansas State Police in connection with an ongoing investigation of a fatality highway crash.
The crash occurred Wednesday morning in Franklin County at the 35-mile marker along Interstate 40.
Douglas Darr, 43, of Ozark, is facing charges of leaving the scene of an accident involving a death or personal injury, careless and prohibited driving, no proof of liability insurance and failure to register a vehicle.
He is being held at the Franklin County Detention Center.
UPDATE: According to an Arkansas Department of Public Safety report, the driver of the tanker truck, 59-year-old James Rotenbury, has died.
According to the preliminary report, an unknown vehicle entered from Exit 35 on-ramp and pulled out in front of the tanker truck.
The truck tried to take corrective action and swerved to the left and ran off the roadway. The truck entered the ditch and tried to steer back into its lane.
This resulted in the truck overturning on its driver’s side.
“State troopers are wanting to question the driver of a black pick-up truck for what they may or may not have seen the seconds or moments prior to the crash. They are not considered a suspect,” Bill Sadler, Public Information Officer says.
The interstate was closed until about 3 p.m.
FRANKLIN COUNTY, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — A rollover accident near Ozark has closed eastbound and westbound traffic on Interstate 40.
According to an accident report, a tanker truck has rolled over and caught fire near Exit 35. The fire has spread across the median, which resulted in both sides of the interstate closing until the fire is under control.
Check iDrive Arkansas for the latest traffic updates.
