Springdale Women Die In Church Bus Crash

SPRINGDALE, Ark. -- A Springdale woman was killed in a crash on Interstate 244 in Oklahoma when the driver of the van she was riding in made an illegal U-turn, said a Oklahoma Highway Patrol spokesman.

Troopers said the crash occurred about 3:30 a.m. Monday morning at mile marker 258 near Claremore when a semi hit the van as the driver was making the U-turn.

Investigators said 49-year-old Anet Jonaie of Fayetteville was killed and four other people in the van were hospitalized in conditions ranging from good to fair. A 79-year-old woman died later in an area hospital from injuries sustained in the crash.

The driver and a passenger in the semi were not injured.

The church group was from the Marshallese United Church of Christ in Springdale. The group was traveling from Enid, Okla., to Springdale when the accident happened.

Siamon Milne is a cousin of Jonaie. He said she was very involved in the church and even served as a deacon.

“She was very nice,” said Milne.

Springdale has the largest Marshal Islander population outside of the Marshal Islands. It is a very tight-knit group and members of the community are in mourning and as they hope the survivors of the accident make full recoveries.