UPDATE: MARCH 24, 2022
Jayson McCool, the brother of Jeremy McCool, shared on social media that Jeremy’s wife has passed away due to her injuries suffered in the March 12 accident that claimed the life of her husband.
43-year-old Tricia Leigh McCool passed away Wednesday, March 23 from injuries sustained in the same accident according to the post.
18-year-old Byron Chavez-Velazquez was arrested on charges of felony charge of first-degree battery, along with misdemeanor charges of driving without a driver’s license, racing on a highway, and negligent homicide following the accident.
ORIGINAL STORY:
An 18-year old Alexander man has been arrested by the Arkansas State Police following a fatal accident that claimed the life of a Pine Bluff man.
18-year-old Byron Chavez-Velazquez was driving a 2007 Mitsubishi westbound on I-30 near the Scott Hamilton overpass in Little Rock when his vehicle struck the rear of a 2017 Nissan driven by 43-year-old Jeremy McCool of Pine Bluff. Both vehicles left the roadway and rolled down an embankment according to a police report from the Arkansas State Police.
According to the report McCool was killed in the accident. His wife, 43-year old Tricia Leigh McCool is in critical condition according to social media posts from family members.
Witnesses told the Arkansas State Police that Chavez-Velazquez was racing a silver Nissan just before the accident took place. He was arrested by State Troopers according to a police report on a felony charge of first-degree battery, along with misdemeanor charges of driving without a driver’s license, racing on a highway, and negligent homicide.
Arkansas State Police are currently searching for the silver Nissan that Chavez-Velazquez was allegedly racing before the accident.
