-Accident claims life of Paragould 16-year-old-
*Passenger listed in stable condition*
A fatal accident at the intersection of highways 49 and 69 claimed the life of one Paragould teen-ager and seriously injured a second late Tuesday afternoon.
Zachary Blake Rylant, 16, was pronounced dead at Arkansas Methodist Hospital. The Air Evac Lifeteam of Jonesboro airlifted Steve W. Frost, 17, to the Regional Medical Center in Memphis.
The accident, which occurred at 5 p.m., required the assistance of the Southern Greene County Fire Department, the Greene Country Sheriff's Department, the Greene County Rescue Squad and AMH ambulance crews. Arkansas State Trooper Tony Roe investigated the accident.
Roe said the accident occurred when a 1989 Ford heading west on Highway 69 and driven by Rylant turned in front of a northbound vehicle on highway 49 driven by Doyne L. Gonser, 42. "The vehicle the boys were in failed to yield to traffic on Highway 49 and pulled into the path of Gonser's vehicle."
Roe estimated that Gonser's vehicle was obeying the speed limit and doing 55 miles-per-hour
or less. "The vehicle the boys were in had not build up any speed, yet." Roe said. "They turned directly into the path of the other vehicle. There was no way for the accident to be
avoided". Neither of the boys was using a seat belt at the time of the accident. Gonser, a Lafe resident, was using a seat belt and was uninjured in the crash.
Rylant, who lived at 305 N. 18 1/2 Ave., was a junior at Paragould High School, where he was a member of the Advanced Learning Program. His hobbies and interests included computers and music.
Frost of 1503 S. 2nd Ave. was listed in stable condition at the Med late Wednesday. He was still in intensive care, but family members hope he will be home by the
weekend. He is a junior at PHS.