Authorities are investigating a tragic collision that claimed the life of 78-year-old Marcia Donley of Fayetteville on Friday afternoon, marking the second fatal crash on Highway 62 in Prairie Grove in less than 24 hours.

According to the Prairie Grove Police Department (PGPD), officers responded to the intersection of Little Elm and Highway 62 at approximately 3:29 p.m. on Aug. 15 following reports of a two-vehicle collision. Donley, one of the drivers, was transported to a nearby hospital in critical condition but later succumbed to her injuries.

Police said the circumstances surrounding the crash remain under investigation, noting that no further details are being released at this time. “The Prairie Grove Police Department is actively working to determine the circumstances surrounding the accident. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available,” officials said in a statement.

This tragedy follows another deadly crash just one day earlier at the intersection of Apple Hill Road and Highway 62, where 38-year-old Travis Samples of Fayetteville was killed.

PGPD expressed gratitude to partner agencies for their assistance during the two difficult days of response. “We are grateful for all the help we have received these past two days from the Farmington Police Department, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Arkansas State Police, and Boston Mountain,” the department said.

The back-to-back tragedies have shaken the Prairie Grove community and drawn renewed attention to safety concerns along the busy Highway 62 corridor.