Arlington police are pleading with drivers to make smart choices behind the wheel, after responding to their fourth fatal wreck this week.
Before August, Arlington police had investigated 13 fatal crashes all year, including none in July. But just since Saturday, there have been four deadly crashes in Arlington.
"That's a high number," said Sgt. Jeff Houston, spokesman for the Arlington Police Department. "But to us, one is too many. You're talking about somebody losing their life."
On Saturday, 54-year-old Matthew Giddens was killed when his motorcycle collided with a car along West Arkansas Lane.
On Sunday, 18-year Jorge Lopez lost control of his SUV while driving along Interstate 30 and crashed into a tree. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
On Wednesday, 57-year-old Elaine Plummer died when an out-of-control car ran into her vehicle along I-20.
And early Friday morning, John Lee lost his life when his motorcycle slammed into the back of a Jeep along Mansfield-Webb Road.
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"They're all preventable," said Houston. "They're senseless deaths that don't need to happen."
Houston said the department regularly monitors areas where high numbers of crashes take place. Since the beginning of the month, they've targeted 16 locations across the city with various enforcement events and patrols, but ultimately, they say reversing this trend is up to drivers.
"A lot of the times, the factors are going to be speed or alcohol or a combination of the two," said Houston. "And those are things people can change themselves."
Police say despite the spike, the number of fatal crashes this year is not dramatically higher than in previous years.
