POINSETT COUNTY, Ark. — A 30-year-old man died in a drowning incident in Rivervale on Thursday evening, and his brother was arrested after allegedly striking a deputy during the recovery effort, according to authorities.
The Poinsett County Sheriff’s Office 911 Communications Center received a report shortly after 6 p.m. of a possible drowning in the Rivervale area. Deputies, along with Poinsett County Search and Rescue teams and officers from the Lepanto Fire and Police Departments, responded to the scene.
Chief Deputy Ryan Price said the fire department launched two boats to assist in the search, while deputies also used drones to help locate the missing individual.
“A short time later, the body of 30-year-old Treyonte Smith was located in the water,” Price said. Smith was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities said Smith’s body will be transported to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory in Little Rock for examination as part of the ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
While first responders were working at the scene, the situation escalated when Smith’s brother, Keltric Smith, reportedly became disruptive and attempted to push past law enforcement personnel. Officials say he struck a deputy and also damaged a first responder’s vehicle.
Keltric Smith was subsequently arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault and second-degree criminal mischief.
The investigation into the drowning remains ongoing as authorities work to determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
