Johnson County, AR — November 19, 2025, Katherine Cook was killed in a single-vehicle accident at about 2:50 a.m. on Stillwell Road/County Road 3451.

Authorities said a southbound 2003 Pontiac crashed into a tree when it veered off the road while negotiating a curve.

Driver Katherine Cook, 63, of Clarksville died from injuries suffered in the crash, according to authorities.

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

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a crash takes someone’s life, especially in the quiet hours of the morning, it leaves behind more than grief. It leaves unanswered questions. People want to know what happened and why. But when the crash only involves a single vehicle, those answers can be even harder to find, unless someone really looks.

Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash? At first glance, a vehicle leaving the road and striking a tree might seem like an open-and-shut case. But the truth is, it’s not that simple. In a case like this, it’s worth asking how deeply the investigators looked into the moments leading up to the crash. Did they map the scene in detail? Did they reconstruct the vehicle’s path or consider whether fatigue, distraction or some kind of impairment could have played a role? Some departments have specially trained officers who dig into these factors, while others rely on limited tools and experience. Without a thorough investigation, critical pieces of the puzzle may go missing.

Has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash? In single-vehicle crashes, there’s often an assumption that the driver lost control. But cars don’t always do what they’re supposed to. A mechanical failure — brakes giving out, a stuck throttle or even a sudden electrical issue — can send a car off course. This vehicle was more than two decades old, which makes it especially important to consider whether age-related mechanical problems could have played a role. Unless someone conducted a full mechanical inspection, we can't rule out the possibility that the car itself failed the driver.

Has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected? Even older cars can carry valuable data, especially if aftermarket systems or phone-based apps were in use. Was any attempt made to recover data from the vehicle's systems or from the driver’s phone? If not, crucial context could be missing: whether the car was speeding, whether brakes were applied or whether the driver was using navigation or communicating in the moments before the crash. These insights don’t just confirm what happened; they help explain why.

As routine as a single-car crash might seem, the absence of other vehicles doesn’t make the story complete. There’s a duty to ask the deeper questions, because often, they’re the only way to reach the truth.

Key Takeaways:

• Not all crash investigations go deep enough to reveal the full story.
• Vehicle defects, especially in older cars, are often overlooked.
• Electronic data can be the missing link in understanding what went wrong.