A man died after a 13-car-accident in Fort Smith on Saturday at approximately 2 p.m., according to a news release from the Fort Smith Police Department.
A gray Nissan truck driven by a man identified as Nelson Garcia, 42, was driving west on Kelley Highway when he failed to stop for the red light. A nearby officer attempted to catch up to the truck, but it accelerated to a high rate of speed, according to the news release.
At the same time, a juvenile passenger in the truck called 911 to report that her father, Garcia, was having some sort of medical issue, according to the release.
Garcia drove through the intersection of Midland Boulevard and Kelley Highway, a Honda driven by Maria Leonard, 53, was making an eastbound turn onto Kelley Highway from Midland Boulevard, according to the release.
Garcia's vehicle then collided with a green Saturn driven by Julian Garcia, 41, who was inside the southbound lane of Midland Boulevard crossing Kelley Highway. Garcia’s vehicle struck the left front corner of Leonard’s vehicle and continued west.
Those two vehicles collided with a green Ford driven by Vikki Brown, 59, who was in the outside southbound lane of Midland Boulevard crossing Kelley Highway, according to the release.
The Saturn and Nissan were knocked west and struck nine parked vehicles in the lot of Yasin's Used Cars II before finally coming to rest.
Nelson Garcia was ejected from the Nissan after impact. A total of 13 vehicles, four in motion and nine parked, were involved in the collision, according to the release.
Nelson Garcia was transported to a local hospital where he later died. There were other injuries reported, but none are thought to be life threatening. The collision is still under investigation.