The Franklin County sheriff’s office says a driver is dead after a fiery crash on a rural road northeast of Mulberry.
Charred remains were found inside the burned vehicle at the end of White Valley Road.
The discovery was made in a wooded area of the county, north of Interstate 40.
Sheriff Anthony Boen said authorities don’t suspect foul play. He stressed, however, that the investigation is in preliminary stages.
“It looks like the person might have gotten stuck,” Boen said. “It’s hilly terrain, and they may have tried to get out and with the dry conditions, it sparked a fire.
Someone reported smoke in the area around noon Saturday.
The license plate and VIN number on the small car were burned beyond recognition, Boen said.
The sheriff’s office said they believe the car crashed and caught fire. The fire spread to nearby woods.
“We’re piecing together small items found inside the vehicle to try to determine who it belongs to,” he said.
The skeletal remains are being sent to the state Crime Laboratory in Little Rock in hopes of identification.
