LITTLE ROCK — Three people died and one was injured in three accidents on Arkansas roads Thursday, according to preliminary Arkansas State Police accident reports.
Lester Brown, 78, of Pocahontas; Thomas Ainsworth, 18, of Hampton; and Margaret C. Book, 40, of Camden died in the accidents.
About 10:55 a.m., Brown was walking north across U.S. 62 about five miles west of Pocahontas when an eastbound 1997 Mazda truck, driven by Vickie Jean Spears, 59, struck him, a report states. He died at the scene.
Ainsworth was driving south on U.S. 79 near Ouachita County Road 96 about 12:20 p.m. as a 2012 Kenworth tractor-trailer was northbound. Ainsworth turned east and ran underneath the trailer, the report states.
Ainsworth was taken to Ouachita County Medical Center in Camden where he died about an hour later, according to the report.
Book was a passenger in a 2002 Ford Focus driven by Mary Book, 17, of Camden that was traveling west on U.S. 278 west of Hampton in Calhoun County about 4:10 p.m. when Mary Book ran off the right side of the highway, over corrected and went back onto the highway. She then ran off the other side of the highway, into a ditch and struck a tree, the report states.
Margaret Book was thrown from the car, which then rolled over her, the report states. She died at the scene.
Mary Book was injured and taken to Ouachita County Medical Center in Camden. The extent of her injuries and her condition were not available Thursday evening.
Arkansas, Pages 12 on 12/21/2012