FORT SMITH -- Two people died in two vehicle collisions in the River Valley on Monday, according to reports from the Arkansas State Police.
The first crash took place at 5 a.m. Monday in the unincorporated Y City community in Scott County.
Christopher Lawrence, 50, of Mena was driving south in a 2005 Toyota while Eric Jones, 50, of New Boston, Texas, was traveling north on U.S. 71 near Johnson Creek Road in a 2019 Freightliner semitrailer. Lawrence crossed the center line and struck Jones' vehicle head on, according to the fatal crash summary. Lawrence was pronounced dead on the scene while Jones suffered minor injuries and was taken to Mercy Hospital in Waldron.
The second crash occurred at 11:34 a.m. in Morrison Bluff in Logan County.
Curtis Fetters, 75, of Clarksville was leaving a driveway at the Circle S fuel station in a 1995 Mercury while James Richardson, 38, of Hartman, was driving north on Arkansas 109 in a 2014 Ram pickup, according to the report. Fetters failed to yield, after which Richardson struck Fetters in the driver's side door area. Richardson was taken to Johnson Regional Medical Center in Clarksville with minor injuries. Fetters was pronounced dead at the scene.
Both crashes happened when the weather was clear and the roads were dry, according to State Police.