Third person succumbs to injuries, arrest warrant issued

By Mark Keith, 03/31/23 9:16 AM

TEXARKANA- A second child has died as the result of a head-on collision this past Tuesday evening on Interstate 30 East near the two mile marker in Texarkana and an arrest warrant has been issued for one of the drivers. The State Police does not release names of minor children involved in crashes, but said the child succumbed to injuries Thursday at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock.

According to the preliminary report from the Arkansas State Police, a 2015 Ford Mustang driven by Richard Lopez, 44, of San Antonio, TX was traveling eastbound in the westbound fast lane. A 2017 Kia Optima driven by Takyah Latin, 28, of Hope was traveling westbound in the westbound fast lane. The Mustang collided with the Kia’s front passenger side.

The crash killed Jabrea Conway, 23, of Prescott and two minor children in the Kia. Injured in the wreck were the drivers Takyah Latin and Richard Lopez. Also injured in the Latin vehicle was Jaquala Flowers, 28, of Hope.

Now the driver of the Mustang, Richard Gabriel Lopez, 44, of San Antonio, TX is named on an arrest warrant in Miller County Circuit Court for two counts of Negligent Homicide and three counts of Battery in the First Degree. (Note-The warrant was issued before the third victim passed away.)

The affidavit quotes Arkansas State Police Special Agent John Rhone, and states Arkansas State Police Troop G in Hope was notified of the crash at 6:41 pm Tuesday evening, March 28th.

According to the document Jaquala Flowers stated they were going to Chuck-E-Cheese in Texarkana to celebrate another child’s birthday. Flowers stated that someone yelled there is a car coming and Takeyah Latin, the driver of the Kia, tried to swerve out of the way before the two vehicles hit head-on.

The affidavit said, according to Arianna Parra, the girlfriend of Lopez, she had stopped at the Flying J Travel Plaza near the seven mile marker to get fuel when “Lopez allegedly jumped into the driver seat and took off.” At the crash scene, Lopez allegedly refused to give his name. According to Arkansas State Trooper Ryne Shelton, Lopez allegedly appeared to be impaired.

The investigation is continuing and charges could be upgraded or additional ones filed.