Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Blevins Student Killed In One Vehicle Crash

A one-vehicle accident Monday, Feb. 17, left a 13-year-old Blevins girl dead.

According to reports from the Arkansas State Police, Troop G in Hope, at about 3:30 p.m., a 1989 Ford Tempo, driven by Daniel Parks, 16, of Blevins, was traveling east on Highway 67. The vehicle left the road, going onto the shoulder on the east side of hwy. 67, striking a bridge guard rail head on, impaling the rail into the car.

The car then went 99 feet, the report stated, across the bridge, striking the rail and crossing the road again.

While Parks was not injured in the accident, Erin Tharp, 13, was killed, and Ty Lavender, 15, of McCaskill was seriously injured.

Tharp was transported to Wadley Regional Medical Center in Texarkana, Texas, by Lifenet, while Lavender was taken to St. Michael's, also in Texarkana.

No citations were issued in the accident. According to reports, drugs or alcohol was not involved. ASP Trooper Brady Gore, who worked the accident, said inattention was the most likely cause of the wreck.