A rain induced accident Friday morning on Interstate 40 in Franklin County took the life of a Atlanta, Georgia man and injured three other people according to information from the Arkansas State Police.
In a preliminary report filed by the ASP, trooper Ronald Elkins said a 2021 Chevrolet driving westbound on interstate 40 near Ozark in Franklin County hydroplaned on rain slickened roads adjust after 11:20 a.m. Friday morning.
Police say the driver of the vehicle, John Otis Lee Owen, 29, of Atlanta lost control of the vehicle while navigating a left-hand curve. The Chevrolet began to hydroplane and veered across the right fog line, leaving the north side of the roadway. The car then collided with a concrete culvert and a tree before rolling onto its passenger side.
The Franklin County Coroner's Office declared Owen dead at the scene. Three other individuals were transported to Baptist Health and Mercy Medical Center in Fort Smith for treatment of related injuries.
Those injured in the accident included 28-year-old Caleb Renard Ward of Atlanta, 26-year-old Quantreel Beck Jr., also of Atlanta, and 30-year-old Jalen Juwaun Quyion Ward of Carton, Georgia.
Trooper Elkins listed the rainy and wet road conditions as a contributing factor in the accident.
The death of Owen was the 465th fatality of the year in 424 total accidents.
