A 21-year-old Augusta woman was killed and the 20-year-old driver of their Jeep was injured after the SUV left State Highway 33, struck a bridge railing and overturned near Camp Howdy Road in Woodruff County. Celeste Shaniece Laird died in the crash, which happened at 9:45 p.m. on Oct. 12, according to a preliminary Arkansas State Police summary.
Laird was riding as a passenger in a 2014 Jeep Patriot driven by Makensea Janet Durham, also of Augusta, as reported by nwaonline.com. The outlet reports that the Jeep was headed south on Arkansas 33 when it left the roadway, hit a bridge railing and flipped over. Durham was injured in the wreck.
Clear Skies, Dry Roads at Time of Crash
Conditions were not a factor cited in the preliminary findings — weather was clear and the road was dry when the crash occurred, according to neareport.com, which cited the same preliminary state police summary. That account also names Trooper Steven Plyler 475 as the investigating officer. The crash is logged in the Arkansas State Police's statewide fatal-crash records as collision number 375, recorded at the intersection of Highway 33 and Camp Howdy Road on Oct. 12.
K8 News, the Jonesboro-based outlet that first reported on the crash, also covered the wreck, noting Durham and Laird as the two occupants involved. K8 News identified the crash site as being near Augusta, consistent with the location described in the state police summary.
What Remains Unknown
Investigators have not said publicly what caused the Jeep to leave the roadway, and no information on vehicle speed or other contributing factors has been released. It also has not been confirmed whether any citations have been issued in connection with the crash. The findings described so far stem from a preliminary report, and further details could emerge as the Arkansas State Police investigation continues.
Families and members of the public seeking an official copy of the crash report can request one through the Arkansas State Police's Crash Report Online Purchase System, which serves as the state's central repository for crash records, per the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration.
