State Police release preliminary report on crash that killed two Hope men

FULTON – The Arkansas State Police has released the preliminary accident report of the four vehicle crash early Monday morning on Interstate 30 near Fulton in rural Hempstead County that killed two Hope men. (The report is subject to changes and updates as the investigation continues.) The crash was one of a series of three that snarled traffic for hours. The first incident involved a highway contractor being killed by an apparent hit and run driver who fled the scene.

About 2:00 am Monday, westbound traffic was stopped around the 20-mile marker, including a 2023 Volvo tractor trailer, a Ram 2500 pickup, and a 2025 Freightliner tractor trailer rig. According to the State Police, an International tractor trailer rig driven by Kendrick Moore, 46, of Arlington, TX failed to stop, colliding with the Ram, which struck a stationary tractor trailer rig, which in-turn struck a fourth stationary rig.

Two passengers in the Ram, Jonathan G. Garcia, 25, and Javier Rivera, 61, both of Hope, were killed. The Ram driver, Juan J. Torres, 20, of Nashville, and a third passenger, Arturo J. Paredes, 26, of Hope were injured. Torres, Paredes, and Moore were transported to Christus St. Micheal’s in Texarkana and Oschner LSU Health Center in Shreveport. State Trooper Akari Alexander investigated.