A mechanical problem sent a dump truck onto the shoulder of an interstate in Pulaski County and caused the vehicle to catch fire, leaving its driver dead Tuesday, state police said.
The crash happened around 9 a.m. as Samuel Jackson Stoops, 71, of Redfield was traveling north on Interstate 530 near Ironton, which is just south of Little Rock, according to a preliminary report.
The dump truck caught fire because of a mechanical problem, at which point the driver lost control, authorities said.
Police noted that the vehicle then traveled off the interstate's east shoulder and struck several trees before bursting into flames.
[FATAL WRECKS: Complete coverage of deadly crashes in Arkansas]
Stoops was able to exit the dump truck but died as a result of injuries in the crash, the report states.
Travel conditions at the time of the crash were listed as clear and dry.
Metro on 07/12/2017