Foot-brawls, illegal smokes & sunken remains: Here are KARK’s most viewed stories of 2023
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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – From devastating tornadoes to the passing of Razorback greats, Arkansas faced a very difficult 2023.
Here are the 10 most-viewed stories on KARK.com for 2023:
PHOTOS: Tornado causes damage across central Arkansas
The most devastating event in 2023 for Arkansas was the Mar. 31 tornado outbreak.
Five people died in Arkansas, dozens more were injured and many hundreds had their homes destroyed or damaged.
Some Arkansans are still picking up the pieces going into the new year.
‘Don’t give up’ Arkansas man missing since 2021 found in Texas
According to his family, 27-year-old Harley McCourt disappeared from his home on Oct. 2, 2021.
For almost a year and a half, pictures were all the McCourt family had to remember Harley.
The family received incredible news on Mar. 11 that Harley had been located in Galveston, Texas.
They then made the seven-and-a-half-hour trek to search, reuniting with a hug.
In October, Arkansas State University arrested a Texas man driving a cargo van on I-40 near Carlisle.
The stop led to troopers seizing more than 3,270 cartons of cigarettes, including 32,671 packs of untaxed cigarettes valued at more than $311,000.
An administrator with the Department of Finance and Administration’s Regulatory Division said officials believe that the seizure was the largest in Arkansas.
Arkansas Razorbacks great Peyton Hillis gives thanks for prayers and support during recovery
In January, former Razorback and NFL player Peyton Hillis was put in an intensive care unit after a swimming incident in Florida.
According to reports, Hillis went into the water at a beach in Pensacola to rescue his children from drowning.
In late February, Hillis thanked everyone for their outpouring of support during his recovery following the incident.
35 high school football players face suspension for fight after Pine Bluff vs. Mills game
More than 35 high school football players were involved in a brawl that broke out after a Friday night football game.
The game was played at Pine Bluff High School on Oct. 6. Pine Bluff High School Zebras hosted the Mills University Studies High School Comets, with Mills winning the game 24-21 in overtime.
After the game, tensions flared and several players on both teams started fighting. This incident resulted in the suspension of 23 Pine Bluff players and 12 players from Mills.
Arkansas State Police arrest truck driver after 45-mile chase on I-40
Back in July, a police pursuit involving an 18-wheeler lasted for around 45 miles on I-40 in Pope County.
An ASP spokesperson said the chase began when the driver nearly hit a state trooper, who was pulling over another car at the time. The trooper got behind the truck to pull the driver over, but he kept going.
ASP eventually arrested the driver. He is being charged with aggravated assault.
Shortly after Thanksgiving, members of the Arkansas National Guard deployed to Romania for nine months.
An official said the guardsmen will be over law enforcement duties on a military installation, which includes security patrols, base entry and customs duties for American military members arriving from other countries.
The National Guard held a departure ceremony on Nov. 22 for the 35 men and women who were sent out.
Sunken vehicle, skeletal remains found in Lake Hamilton, connected to 2008 missing person case
In early March, deputies with the Garland County Sheriff’s Office found a car with skeletal remains in it at the bottom of Lake Hamilton.
According to authorities, the car was tied to a missing person’s report filed with the Hot Springs Police Department in 2008.
The remains were later identified as Kerry Angell Jr.
Hundreds of Arkansas inmates see their chance at freedom taken away in an instant
Nearly 300 Arkansas inmates who thought they had an early shot at freedom, no longer do.
The Department of Corrections said it had misinterpreted a parole eligibility law.
The DOC notified 290 inmates that, instead of a chance at parole, they would now be serving their entire sentence.
In February, the family of a Bryant Junior High cheerleader said their 13-year-old daughter had her picture taken unknowingly.
They said the photo was captioned with sexual and vulgar language and sent to a random person in Louisiana, causing fear for their child.
The Bryant School District said it doesn’t condone the actions in any way, but the family felt they only gave a slap on the wrist to the students behind it.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK.
