On Sunday, May 12, 2024, at around 9 p.m., the Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) dispatch received a report of a possible plane crash in Lee County.
According to witnesses, the privately-owned plane was traveling from Florida to the Batesville airport. At around 8 p.m., family members of the victims had not heard from them and contacted the West Helena Police Department (WHPD) for assistance.
At around 9:30 p.m., first responders located a single-engine plane in a field approximately 12 miles southeast of the city limits of Marianna. Responders found two people inside the plane who were deceased from the crash. There were no other passengers aboard the aircraft.
The victims have been identified as Joseph Bryant, 72, and Sharon Bryant, 73.
Joseph Bryant owned a pharmacy in Batesville and was a prominent member of the community. According to online information, the Bryant's once donated $100,000 to the city of Batesville to fund a park in the memory of an individual who was killed in the 9-11 attack on The World Trade Center.
The Arkansas State Police (ASP) has handed over the investigation to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which will investigate the cause of the crash.
