GASSVILLE, Arkansas — On the night of January 20, a tight‑knit Baxter County community was shaken when 30‑year‑old Sheena Wainscott was killed walking along U.S. Highway 62 West just west of Gassville. Around 8:50 p.m., Arkansas State Police say Wainscott was in the highway when a westbound pickup struck her. Moments later, an eastbound vehicle also hit her. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Neighbors and friends say the news hit home hard. Wainscott, a familiar face around town, was known for her warm presence and many small acts of kindness. In a place where folks wave at neighbors and know each other by name, her sudden death has left a hole in the everyday rhythms of the community.
State troopers have been piecing together what happened that night. According to the preliminary crash summary, a 2017 Dodge Ram pickup traveling westbound struck Wainscott first. A 2021 Ford traveling eastbound then also hit her. Weather and road conditions were clear and dry at the time, officials say.
The drivers of both vehicles have not been publicly named, and no charges have been announced. Arkansas State Police say their investigation is ongoing as they gather witness statements and physical evidence to complete the picture of that tragic night.
Family members have been notified, and the community has rallied around them. In towns the size of Gassville, loss doesn’t stay confined to one household. It ripples through school hallways, cars parked at church, and front porch conversations. People have spoken of Sheena’s laughter and her habit of stopping to say hello, memories now tinged with grief.
Officials are urging everyone — both drivers and pedestrians — to remember that even familiar roads can turn dangerous after dark, especially on high‑speed stretches like U.S. 62. Arkansas continues to have some of the nation’s higher rates of roadway fatalities, a reminder that awareness matters on every block and every shoulder of pavement.
As the investigation unfolds, authorities are asking anyone with photos, video, or information from the area that evening to come forward. The community mourns Sheena Wainscott, reflecting on her life and hoping that understanding what happened will help prevent another family from losing someone they love.
