GASSVILLE, Arkansas — A tight‑knit community in Baxter County is grieving after a local woman, 30‑year‑old Sheena Wainscott, died Wednesday night when she was struck by two vehicles while walking on a busy state highway. The Arkansas State Police say the incident unfolded just before 9 p.m. on U.S. Highway 62 West, leaving friends, neighbors, and family searching for answers.
Authorities say Wainscott was in the roadway near Gassville at about 8:50 p.m. Wednesday when a westbound 2017 Dodge Ram pickup hit her. Moments later, those same troopers say an eastbound 2021 Ford also struck her. Both vehicles were traveling along the same stretch of highway when the fatal collision occurred. Wainscott was pronounced dead at the scene.
No charges have been announced, and the drivers involved have not been publicly identified. Arkansas State Police are leading the investigation and are piecing together witness accounts, physical evidence, and the limited information available as they seek to understand exactly how things unfolded.
Family members and friends have been notified of her passing. In small towns like Gassville, loss ripples through streets and living rooms, and many who knew Wainscott are left reflecting on the suddenness of the night’s events. Neighbors describe her as a familiar face, someone who was part of the fabric of everyday life in the community.
State troopers say weather and road conditions were clear and dry at the time, a detail that has only deepened the mystery for those trying to understand why she was walking in the roadway that night. No further details about why she was there have been released.
Local officials remind both drivers and pedestrians that roads can be unpredictable after dark, especially on high‑speed routes like U.S. 62 West. Arkansas regularly sees roadway fatalities involving pedestrians, a trend that officials say underlines the importance of awareness on both sides of the pavement.
As the investigation continues, Arkansas State Police are urging anyone with information, photos, or video from the area around the time of the crash to step forward. The community mourns as it awaits answers, holding onto memories of Wainscott and hoping lessons from this tragedy will help prevent another.
