A single-vehicle wreck that reportedly resulted from the driver having a medical episode led to two other collisions Thursday afternoon on the King Expressway, tying up traffic for more than an hour, Hot Springs police said.
Hot Springs police Lt. Larry Patrick said the driver of a Ford pickup truck was eastbound on the expressway at around 1:30 p.m. Thursday when she reportedly had a medical episode, crossed a grass median, and struck a guardrail at the McLeod Street on ramp. The driver was transported to an area hospital by LifeNet.
A Toyota Yaris passing the scene of the wreck reportedly stopped in traffic and was rear-ended by a tractor-trailer, which then struck a GMC Envoy SUV. The SUV's driver was also transported by LifeNet and was in stable condition, Hot Springs police Officer Robert Plyler said.
The collisions caused significant congestion eastbound on the expressway near the McLeod Street on-ramp.
"We're not sure but we believe (the driver) probably had a medical episode prior to the bridge. She first hit the side of the bridge (in the eastbound lane). She came across (the median), took out the first sign and went airborne, came across (the on ramp), and finally came to rest on top of the guardrail," Patrick said.
"While that (was) going on, the other accident (happened) right here. What we're thinking happened is that another car stopped to look and see what was going on here (with the pickup truck), the eighteen-wheeler couldn't stop and rear-ends them, causing a chain reaction further down the highway," Patrick said.
"The semi was unable to get stopped in time because of the blue (Toyota Yaris) stopped in front of them due to (the first) accident beside us. The semi collided with the Yaris, bounced off of it, and then collided with the (GMC Envoy)," Plyler said.
"The passenger in the semi has an injury to their arm and the (driver of the) GMC Envoy was transported in stable condition," Plyler said.
Local on 12/06/2019