Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Manslaughter Charges Filed Against Trucker

Ellis Banks, 46, of Houston, Texas, has been formally charged with two counts of manslaughter in Nevada County.

The charges stem from the Aug. 8, vehicle accident near Willisville claiming the lives of Elvira Marlar and Billie Cogbill.

According to court records, the Nevada County Sheriff's Office got the call around 3:50 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 8, concerning a two-vehicle accident near Willisville on U.S. Highway 371.

Upon arrival at the scene, a blue Chevrolet Astro Van was on the left side of the highway on its top, while the road was blocked by a semi partially turned sideways across it.

Both vehicles had been traveling north on 371, according to Arkansas State Police trooper Bobby Carlton, with the semi driven by Banks hitting the van in the rear.

Both victims were ejected from the van, which was knocked off the road and rolled over. According to the records, both vehicles slid 148 feet after impact.

David Minton, a witness, had been behind the semi from Magnolia and told officers the driver had been slowing down, then speeding back up.

As the vehicles neared what was to be the scene of the accident, records state, Minton told officers he saw a blue van go around a curve in front of some stores, but the truck wasn't slowing down, but instead sped up.

Minton, according to the records, saw items flying and the van roll over as Banks apparently didn't apply his brakes until the impact occurred.

He is being held on $50,000 bond at the Nevada County jail.

Manslaughter is a class C felony with a sentence of 3-10 years in the Arkansas Department of Correction and a fine not to exceed $10,000 for each count.

Banks was arraigned in Hempstead County.