Blevins woman killed; 4 others injured in Nashville crash

NASHVILLE – A Blevins woman is dead, and four others injured in a multi-vehicle crash Thursday afternoon in Nashville. The crash happened where Highway 27, the Nashville Bypass, intersects with Cassidy Street near the Tyson Processing Plant.

According to the preliminary report from the Arkansas State Police, a 2018 Dodge Caravan driven by Melody Kiley, 49, of Blevins, was traveling east on Cassidy Street and apparently failed to yield the right-of-way to a 2005 Peterbilt tractor-trailer hauling logs south on Highway 27.  The log truck was driven by Kelly Starr, 34, of Oden, AR.  The truck struck the van and then overturned, dumping its load on Highway 27. A 2021 Jeep Renegade driven by Vincent Gamble, 48, of Nashville and a 2024 Chevy Trax, both traveling north on Highway 27, struck the legs.

Kiley died in the crash.  Her passengers, Hannah Salazar, 28, of Blevins, and James Drummond, 18, of Blevins, were injured. Starr and Gamble were also injured. The injured were initially taken to Howard Memorial Hospital in Nashville. The driver of the Trax was not injured and not identified.

Corporal Travis Hale with the Arkansas State Police was the investigating officer. Officers with the Nashville Police Department, Howard County Sheriff’s Department were on-scene, along with the Nashville Fire Department and multiple medical units from Pafford EMS, Nashville Street Department and Arkansas Department of Transportation.