Lincoln County, AR — January 29, 2026, Kajayla Hill was killed in an evening truck accident on U.S. Highway 65 near Varner.

A news report indicates that a semi-truck collided with a car that was turning off State Highway 388 near Cummins Unit, a state prison.

The driver of the car, 21-year-old Kajayla Hill, died from injuries suffered in the crash, according to relatives.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Lincoln County crash at this time.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When people hear that a semi-truck collided with a passenger vehicle on a state highway, their first question is often the most basic: How did this happen? Unfortunately, based on the limited details currently available, we don’t yet have an answer.

We know that the crash occurred on Highway 388 near the Cummins Unit prison and that a young woman lost her life. But that’s all the public has been told so far. No word on whether the truck or the car crossed into the other lane, whether either vehicle was stopped or whether road or weather conditions played a role. That leaves several critical questions still unanswered.

Was the truck moving when the collision occurred, or was it stopped or turning? Did the truck driver attempt to brake or swerve? Was either driver distracted or fatigued? None of that can be known unless someone looks at the black box data from the truck, retrieves any in-cab camera footage and checks the driver’s call and text records around the time of the crash.

I’ve handled many cases where a trucking company’s failure to monitor or vet its drivers turned out to be a key factor. Sometimes a driver shouldn’t have been behind the wheel at all, due to prior safety violations, poor training or even outright falsification of logbooks. But you only find those things out if someone investigates, not just the crash itself, but also the company’s hiring and oversight practices.

To be clear, it’s too early to say who is responsible for what happened here. But the lack of public information shouldn’t be mistaken for a lack of evidence. That evidence exists — engine control module data, dash cams, dispatch records — and it’s the key to getting real answers.

Key Takeaways:

• It’s not yet clear how or why the crash occurred; key facts remain undisclosed.
• Crucial evidence like black box data, in-cab video and phone records will be central to understanding what happened.
• Investigators should also examine the trucking company’s hiring and driver oversight policies.
• Responsibility can’t be assigned until a full investigation is complete.
• Getting to the truth requires more than police reports. It takes a thorough, evidence-based review of all involved.