State police identify 2 drivers injured in Hot Springs wrong-way crash

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (KATV) — A man was killed Thursday morning in a wrong-way car crash involving two other vehicles on U.S. 270 in Hot Springs, state police reported.

Jimmie Sargent, 74, was driving a 1987 Ford Ranger westbound in the eastbound lanes. Brenden Rice, 21, was driving a 2007 GMC Sierra eastbound and was unable to avoid a crash and hit Sargent's truck head-on, according to state police.

Shelby Villegas, 33, was also traveling eastbound in a 2016 Chevrolet Suburban. He was also unable to avoid the crash and collided with the front of Sargent's truck, state police reported.

Sargent was pronounced dead at the scene.

Rice and Villegas suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

The eastbound lanes of the King Expressway between Higdon and Central Avenue were closed until about 9:30 a.m.

State police say conditions were cloudy and dry at the time of the crash.