A 23-year-old man was killed in a head-on crash in Arkansas that also injured a local basketball coach and two teenage players, including the coach’s daughter.
Authorities say the crash occurred on the evening of Tuesday, Dec. 30, when Dylan Wagoner, 23, was driving a 2001 GMC south on U.S. Highway 71. According to the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette, ABC KATV, and CBS affiliate KFSM, Wagoner crossed into the northbound lane while attempting to pass other vehicles.
At the same time, Jeremy Schopper — identified by members of the community as a basketball coach with the Greenland School District — was traveling north in a 2015 Dodge. He was unable to avoid the oncoming vehicle, and the two vehicles collided head-on in Witcherville.
Schopper’s vehicle veered into a ditch following the impact. He and his two 16-year-old passengers were transported to nearby hospitals. Wagoner’s vehicle rolled over, and he was ejected from the truck.
Sebastian County Coroner Kenneth Hobbs said Wagoner died from blunt force trauma sustained in the crash. An investigation remains ongoing.
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In an interview with the Democrat Gazette, Greenland School District athletics director Tiffany Phillips confirmed that Schopper serves as both a coach and teacher in the district. A district spokesperson also told KNWA/FOX24 that he is an assistant boys’ basketball coach.
Greenland Mayor Jim Renfrow said Schopper had been driving home with his daughter and another player after attending a game in Mansfield.
“The girls basketball team was on the bus right behind the cars involved and unfortunately witnessed the accident, as well as the lifesaving efforts for everyone involved,” Renfrow said, adding that the community extends its condolences to the family of the man who died.
Renfrow said the two students were treated for minor injuries and later released from the hospital. Schopper, meanwhile, was transferred from a regional medical center to a hospital in Little Rock for further treatment.
The Arkansas State Police and the Greenland School District did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In a statement shared on Facebook, the Greenland School District thanked authorities, first responders, and community members for their assistance following the crash.
“Please continue to keep all impacted by this in your thoughts and prayers,” the statement read. “We are thankful for our community and the outpouring of support thus far.”
In a separate post, the district announced that an account has been established at a local bank to help cover the Schopper family’s medical expenses.
