Craighead County, AR — February 6, 2025, Charles Buckley was killed following a car accident that occurred at around 7:25 P.M. on State Highway 18.
An investigation is underway following a car accident that left one person dead during the evening hours of February 6th. According to official reports, Charles Buckley was operating a Chevy Spark in the westbound lanes of State Highway 18 when for unknown reasons the vehicle left the roadway and struck a culvert, causing the vehicle to become airborne and flip.
When first responders arrived on the scene they found that Buckley had sustained fatal injuries and he was pronounced deceased. At his time it remains unknown what caused the vehicle to lose control, however authorities continue to investigate and more details may be released by officials in the future.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When I see reports of a single-vehicle crash like this, my first thought is always whether the investigation will uncover what truly happened. While many might assume that a driver losing control means operator error, my experience tells me that’s not always the case. Instead of making assumptions, the key is to let the evidence guide the conclusions. To do that, there are three critical questions that must be asked of any crash investigation.
The first question is whether authorities conducted a thorough investigation. Law enforcement agencies do their best with the resources they have, but not all departments have access to dedicated crash reconstruction specialists or the time to conduct in-depth analyses. In cases like this, where the vehicle left the road for reasons unknown, investigators should be looking at tire marks, roadway conditions, witness statements, and any potential external factors that could have contributed to the crash. If these aspects aren’t fully examined, then important pieces of the puzzle may go overlooked.
The second question—one that is frequently ignored—is whether a vehicle defect played a role in the crash. Modern vehicles are complex machines, and mechanical failures can cause sudden loss of control. Issues like steering malfunctions, brake failures, or electronic stability control problems are all possibilities that should be ruled out. Unfortunately, most crash investigations don’t automatically include a forensic vehicle inspection, meaning that unless someone takes steps to preserve and examine the Chevy Spark, any potential defects may never be discovered.
The final question is whether all available electronic data has been collected. Many vehicles, including the Chevy Spark, contain an electronic control module (ECM) that captures critical details like speed, braking, and steering inputs in the moments before a crash. Additionally, cell phone data, surveillance footage from nearby businesses, or dashcam recordings could provide further insight. Since this crash occurred on a highway, there’s a possibility that traffic cameras may have recorded useful evidence. However, if investigators don’t actively seek out this information, it may be lost before anyone even realizes it was there.
At the end of the day, determining why a crash occurred isn’t just about assigning responsibility—it’s about ensuring that all the right questions have been asked and answered. If a thorough investigation reveals that external factors, mechanical failures, or missing data played a role, that information could be crucial for Buckley’s family and the broader community. Serious crashes upend lives, and at the very least, those affected deserve to know the truth.
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