10-year-old girl killed in multi-vehicle pileup

LAWRENCE COUNTY, Ark. (KAIT) - A 10-year-old girl died Thursday night when the car she was riding in collided with two other vehicles.

The crash happened at 5:16 p.m. on Highway 63 in rural Lawrence County, according to Arkansas State Police.

A southbound 2009 Nissan Maxima driven by Matthew Simmons, 36, of Walnut Ridge was passing a 2010 GMC pickup in the outside lane when it clipped the right front of the truck.

Simmons’ car then slid sideways into the turn lane, hitting the front of a northbound 2000 Dodge Durango driven by Eddie Hampton, 37, of Walnut Ridge.

The Maxima then overturned before coming to a rest in the northbound ditch, the preliminary crash report stated.

Simmons and Hampton were taken to the hospital with unspecified injuries. Two other passengers in Simmons’ car, 31-year-old Nickie Ivy of Walnut Ridge and an 11-year-old boy, were also injured.

A 10-year-old girl riding in Simmons’ car suffered fatal injuries.

ASP did not identify the driver of the GMC pickup truck.

Lawrence County Sheriff Jeff Yates said the highway was shut down in both directions for nearly 2.5 hours as crews worked to clear the scene.

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