Auto Accidents Cause Deaths of 2 Students

Editor-in-Chief

   Two automobile accidents resulted in the death of two students last week.

   Justin Wayne Arnold, a 19-year-old from Camden, died Thursday, Sept. 25 and Dustin Ray “Rooster” Ferguson, a 19-year-old of Monticello, died Monday, Sept. 22.

Photo by Danielle Kloap

Brothers Forever - Sigma Tau Gamma members and their Court of Roses made a sign in memory of Justin Arnold. Arnold, a member of Sigma Tau Gamma, was the second student to die last week after a series of automobile accidents.

   Arnold, a student at the Monticello campus, was a member of Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity. Ferguson was enrolled this semester in the Heavy Equipment Operator Program on the Southeast Arkansas Community Based Education Center campus in Warren.

   Arnold died of internal injuries after 20-year-old Richard Rudolph of Drew County lost control of his truck. Rudolph was driving west on Old Troy Road, about 300 yards from Midway Route, according to Drew County Sheriff Mark Gober. Rudolph lost control of his truck, traveled down an embankment on Old Troy Road and struck a Price Industries “break shack.”

   Four workers were taking a break in the shack at the time of the accident. All but one, 28-year-old Randy King of Drew County, escaped the shack. Gober said the impact threw King about 30 feet and destroyed the shack.

   An ambulance transported King to Drew Memorial Hospital and later transferred him to a Little Rock hospital. Gober said King had an open head wound, cuts, bruises and abrasions.

   Rudolph sustained a few cuts and bruises, according to Gober. Another worker in the “break shack” went to the hospital in a private vehicle. Drew Memorial Hospital treated and released him.

   Earlier in the week, Ferguson died when 29-year-old Jennifer Bates of Star City struck him in front of Wendy’s on U.S. 425 North.

   Trooper Clayton Moss said Bates, driving north in the center turn lane, crossed the center line and hit Ferguson’s Ford Ranger with her Chevrolet pickup. The impact of the collision caused Ferguson’s vehicle to hit a Nissan Maxima, driven by Nicole Black of Wilmar.

   Bates’ vehicle flipped and threw her from the truck. As of Tuesday, Sept. 23, she was listed in critical condition in the Jefferson Regional Medical Center in critical condition.

   An ambulance transported Black to Drew Memorial Hospital. According to Moss, Black’s 3-year-old son did not receive any injuries in the accident.

   Arnold’s funeral took place at Immanuel Baptist Church in Camden Saturday, Sept. 27. Ferguson’s funeral took place Thursday, Sept. 25 at Pauline Baptist Church in Monticello.

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