A dangerous crossover collision along a busy stretch of State Highway 25 left one driver dead and another in the hospital on Friday afternoon. The two-vehicle crash happened around 5:05 p.m. where the highway meets Ponarosa Road in Southside.
Investigators say 75-year-old Bonnie Sprouse was traveling northbound in a 2016 Ram 3500 pickup truck. As Sprouse approached the Ponarosa Road junction, her vehicle crossed over the center divider into oncoming traffic. The heavy truck struck a southbound car head-on in the opposing lane.
The driver of that car was 43-year-old Michelle Pack of Clinton, who was behind the wheel of a 2020 Chrysler. Pack had no room to avoid the oncoming truck as it entered her lane. The front of the pickup hit her sedan directly, causing injuries that took her life at the scene.
Investigators examined the scene and confirmed that environmental factors did not play a role in the wreck. Sky conditions were clear, daylight was full, and the asphalt was completely dry. The stretch of Highway 25 through Southside is a standard two-lane road with clear sightlines in both directions.
Emergency personnel arrived quickly to render aid and secure the crash area. Paramedics treated Sprouse at the scene before rushing her to White River Health in Batesville for treatment. Authorities have not released an update regarding her physical condition or the exact nature of her injuries.
Crews from the state transportation department shut down Highway 25 while troopers measured skid marks and documented vehicle damage. The cleanup and investigative work backed up late-afternoon traffic through Southside for nearly ninety minutes. Road crews cleared the scene and reopened all lanes by 6:34 p.m.
Trooper Nicholas R. Ade led the crash investigation for the state police. Pack’s body was released to Doty Funeral Home while officers notified her family members. State police have not indicated whether traffic citations or criminal charges will be filed against Sprouse as officers look further into the cause.
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