The Arkansas State Police dropped a preliminary accident report to the Arkansas Deportment of Public Safety website on Friday concerning the death of a Van Buren man in a single vehicle accident on Wednesday.
According to that report, filed by Fort Smith traffic officer Casey Cagle, a 2005 Mercury Mariner was eastbound on Riverfront drive at approximately 11:54 p.m. Wednesday night. For some unknown reason the driver of the vehicle, 64-year-old Brian E. Speer of Van Buren ,apparently lost control of the vehicle which ran off the roadway.
After veering from Riverfront Drive, the Mariner struck a tree.
According to the report the Sebastian County coroner's office responded to the scene and declared Speer dead from his injuries.
Officer Cagle noted clear weather and dry road conditions at the time of the accident, which resulted in the 381st fatality of the year spread out over 347 accidents.
