Officials have confirmed that a Department of Corrections officer was killed in a crash outside the Cummins Unit Thursday night.
The Arkansas Department of Corrections identified the officer as 20-year-old Corporal Kajayla Hill. According to a preliminary report from the Arkansas State Police, Hill was driving a Nissan when it was struck by a northbound Peterbilt truck at the Highway 65 and Highway 388 intersection. Hill was the only person in the vehicle.
The report indicates that Hill pulled onto Highway 65 without yielding to the approaching 18-wheeler. Wet road conditions at the time may have contributed to the collision. Hill was transported to Delta Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Hill had been with the Department of Corrections since July 2025, with the Cummins Unit serving as her first assignment. The department honored her service with a tribute on its official Facebook page.
