THURSDAY UPDATE:
Authorities have named the two people who were killed in a Hot Springs crash Wednesday when their car was struck by stolen vehicle that had been involved in a police pursuit minutes earlier.
According to a news release from the Police Department, 49-year-old George Luster and 51-year-old Kathaline Luster, both of Hot Springs, were the occupants of the 2000 Toyota Corolla that was hit.
The crash happened shortly before noon in the 2100 block of Albert Pike Road when a 2009 Hyundai Sonata hit the Corolla on its driver's side.
The Sonata had been reported stolen earlier in the day, and police began a pursuit near the intersection of Hicks Circle and Albert Pike when they spotted the car at 11:24 a.m, authorities previously said. The chase was eventually stopped "due to dangerous speeds," according to a new release.
Less than three minutes later, the car was found crashed.
The Sonata's driver, 19-year-old Gystin Michael Parker of Riverdale, Ga., faces charges of felony theft by receiving and felony fleeing in a vehicle.
Also Thursday, Arkansas State Police released a preliminary report into the crash. George Luster was driving the Corolla, which was on Gilchrist Street when it was hit, the report states.
Authorities wrote Parker's Sonata traveled off Albert Pike, hit a street sign, continued onto Gilchrist. The car overturned and landed on its roof after it hit the Corolla, which traveled into a ditch.
It was raining at the time of the crash, according to the report.
Hot Springs police said Thursday that more charges are expected and the investigation is ongoing.
WEDNESDAY STORY:
Two people were killed in Hot Springs on Wednesday after their car was struck by a vehicle that had been involved minutes earlier in a police pursuit, authorities said.
The crash happened shortly before noon in the 2100 block of Albert Pike Road.
According to a news release from the city's Police Department, a 2009 Hyundai Sonata was reported stolen from a Linwood Street address about 10:30 a.m.
At 11:24 a.m., officers noticed the car near the intersection of Hicks Circle and Albert Pike and tried to pull the driver over, the release states. Authorities said a chase began but officers lost site of the Hyundai in the 1400 block of Albert Pike and stopped the pursuit "due to dangerous speeds."
Less than three minutes later, the car was found crashed in the 2100 block of Albert Pike, according to police. It struck a 2000 Toyota Corolla on its driver's side, authorities said.
The Toyota's two occupants were killed in the wreck. Police did not release their names as their families had not been notified as of Wednesday evening.
Authorities said the Hyundai's driver has been identified as 19-year-old Gystin Michael Parker of Riverdale, Ga. He faces charges of felony theft by receiving and felony fleeing in a vehicle. Police said Wednesday evening that he was being held at the Garland County jail in lieu of $100,000 bond.
According to the release, the wreck is under investigation and more charges against Parker are forthcoming.
Albert Pike was partially closed for about two hours due to the wreck.
Hot Springs police and fire department personnel responded to the scene, where one car was upside down on a sidewalk. Another car was in a ditch.
It was around 1:30 p.m. when the last of the emergency vehicles cleared the scene and the vehicles had been removed by wrecker services.
At least 337 people have died in crashes on Arkansas roads so far this year, according to preliminary state police data.