Joey Simmons dies in Bee Branch crash after Conway robberies

Joey Simmons died in Bee Branch following a police pursuit linked to two gas station holdups. The 23-year-old Little Rock man crashed on Highway 65 and died at the scene. Conway police confirmed the fatal wreck occurred on Wednesday morning.

Simmons allegedly targeted the Phillips 66 gas station on Skyline Drive in Conway first. Police said he wore a black T-shirt, shorts, and a ski mask. He wielded a rifle during the encounter. He reportedly told the clerk he was on a mission from God. He left with about $200 in cash.

Officers were still investigating that incident when a second 911 call arrived. The report came from Snappy’s gas station in Damascus down the road. Police say Simmons entered with a rifle. He demanded money at gunpoint. He fled the second store immediately.

Authorities issued a Be On The Lookout alert across the area. Arkansas State Police spotted a black Toyota Camry on Highway 65. The car matched the description of the suspect vehicle. A high-speed pursuit began right away.

The chase ended near a home in Bee Branch. Simmons veered off the road and crashed into a culvert. Local resident Gary Elliott heard the pursuit end outside his house.

“It was about ten minutes to eight. I was getting dressed, putting my shoes on, and I heard the siren. Then all of a sudden, the siren cut off real quick. I heard a big bang out in front of the house.”

Elliott walked outside and found his mailbox destroyed. Tire marks led directly to the highway culvert. Officers were down near the wreckage. Elliott said he did not learn what happened until the following day.

“Luckily he went straight and didn’t turn a little more and run into my car or the house. I don’t understand how he got to this side of the street if he was headed toward Clinton. It’s just strange.”

Simmons was killed instantly in the impact. Police recovered $192 in cash from inside the car. Conway police returned the retrieved money to the Phillips 66 station. No officers or civilians were injured.

State troopers typically handle traffic investigations involving fatal crashes on Arkansas state highways. Agencies work to document collision scenes and recover property taken during earlier crimes.

The wreckage was cleared from the highway corridor near Bee Branch. Police concluded their work at the scene that morning.