Arkansas State Police: Fatal crash on I540 kills 38-year=old motorist from Fort Smith

A fatal crash on Interstate 540 south of Van Buren killed a Fort Smith man and disrupted traffic late Monday night.

James Carter, 38, died when his pickup truck veered off the northbound lanes around 11:15 PM, striking a guardrail and overturning in the median.

The accident occurred about two miles south of Van Buren near the Crawford County line, according to Arkansas State Police.

Emergency crews, including Van Buren Fire Department and state troopers, responded quickly but pronounced Carter dead at the scene. He was alone in the vehicle, and no other cars were involved.

The crash shut down the northbound lanes for nearly two hours, with traffic halted or detoured until the highway reopened around 1:00 AM on March 26.

Authorities reported foggy conditions as a possible contributor, though the cause remains under investigation.