Sara Lea Nix, a 28-year-old woman from Bradley, Arkansas, died in a two-vehicle collision on Highway 160 in Lafayette County on October 16, 2025. Her three-year-old daughter, Raylea Chanler Nix, also lost her life in the crash, leaving their family and community grieving two devastating losses.
According to reports citing the Arkansas State Police, the collision occurred near the community of Gin at approximately 3:35 p.m. Smoke from a nearby fire had reduced visibility along the highway when a Freightliner tractor-trailer collided with the Chevrolet Tahoe driven by Nix.
Nix was remembered in her published obituary as a devoted mother who enjoyed crafts, shopping, barrel racing, camping, and spending time with her children. Friends, relatives, and people who knew her through her work as a labor and delivery nurse shared condolences following the tragedy.
Sara Nix Obituary: What Happened on Highway 160?
Sara Lea Nix was driving a 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe westbound on Arkansas Highway 160 on the afternoon of October 16, 2025, according to the preliminary crash report described by local news outlets.
A 2007 Freightliner traveling eastbound collided with the Tahoe near Gin in Lafayette County. Investigators reported that smoke from a nearby fire had reduced visibility along the road.
Nix and her young daughter, who was a passenger in the vehicle, died at the scene, according to published reports. Their bodies were taken to Smith Funeral Home in Stamps, Arkansas.
The crash prompted attention across southern Arkansas because of the loss of a young mother and child. Although initial reports identified smoke as a factor in the collision, later legal proceedings raised additional allegations about the circumstances surrounding the fire and conditions near the roadway.
Remembering Sara Lea Nix
Sara Lea Nix was born on August 3, 1997, in Bossier City, Louisiana. She was 28 when she died, according to her published obituary.
Her family remembered her as someone who enjoyed creative activities, including crafts and shopping. She also loved barrel racing and camping, and valued time spent with her children.
Nix worked as a labor and delivery nurse. Messages posted in response to her obituary included condolences from people who remembered her kindness and care in the hospital setting. One former patient described her as a reassuring presence during childbirth, while a message attributed to hospital human resources expressed sympathy for her family.
These tributes provide a glimpse of the personal and professional connections she made during her life. For her family, however, the loss was profoundly personal, as her death came alongside that of her young daughter.
Raylea Chanler Nix Also Died in the Collision
Raylea Chanler Nix, Sara’s three-year-old daughter, was also killed in the October 16 collision.
The loss of both mother and child made the incident especially painful for their relatives and loved ones. Their deaths left family members facing the grief of losing two generations of the same family in a single event.
The child’s name was reported by news coverage and memorial listings. Arkansas State Police reports generally do not publish the names of minors, so information about the child should be attributed to sources that have independently identified her.
Family Members and Loved Ones
Sara’s obituary named her husband, Cody Nix, and her children among those who survive her, along with her mother, father, grandmother, siblings, in-laws, nieces, nephews, and extended family.
Her obituary also listed relatives who had died before her. The family notice provided a record of her close relationships and the people who will continue to remember her.
Because family circumstances and obituary details can be sensitive, readers should refer to the published funeral home notice for the complete list of relatives and memorial information rather than rely on secondary summaries.
Funeral Services and Memorial Arrangements
According to the obituary published by A.O. Smith Funeral Homes, visitation for Sara Lea Nix was scheduled for October 21, 2025, at Bradley Baptist Church in Bradley, Arkansas.
Her funeral service was scheduled for October 22, 2025, at the same church, with burial to follow at Walnut Hill Cemetery in Bradley. The services were arranged through A.O. Smith Funeral Home in Stamps.
These dates have passed. The funeral home’s obituary remains a useful reference for those wishing to read the family’s announcement or leave a message of remembrance.
Investigation Into the Highway 160 Crash
Initial reporting based on the Arkansas State Police preliminary crash report stated that smoke from a nearby fire reduced visibility along Highway 160.
In April 2026, a separate news report described a wrongful-death lawsuit filed by Sara’s husband on behalf of the family. The lawsuit alleged that a controlled burn near the highway had been mishandled and that the smoke, along with the positioning of a fire truck near the roadway, contributed to the fatal collision.
The complaint also alleged failures to provide adequate warnings and traffic control. It named several parties, including the landowner and people connected to the burn and the tractor-trailer, as defendants.
These are allegations made in civil litigation, not findings that should automatically be treated as established fact. The parties’ responsibility and any legal liability must be determined through the appropriate legal process. The filing of a lawsuit alone does not establish that every allegation is true.
A Community Remembers a Mother and Daughter
Messages left in response to Sara’s obituary reflected the grief felt by friends, neighbours, and people who knew her through work and family connections. Some remembered her kindness as a nurse, while others offered prayers and condolences to the family.
Such messages cannot capture the full impact of the loss, but they show that Sara’s life touched people beyond her immediate household.
For her family, the tragedy involved not only the death of a 28-year-old woman but also the loss of a three-year-old child whose life was just beginning. Their memories and the published obituary preserve a record of both lives and the people who loved them.
Latest Update on the Sara Nix Accident and Obituary
Sara Lea Nix, 28, of Bradley, Arkansas, and her three-year-old daughter, Raylea Chanler Nix, died in a collision on Highway 160 in Lafayette County on October 16, 2025.
Initial reports identified reduced visibility from smoke as a factor in the crash. A later civil lawsuit alleged negligence related to the controlled burn and traffic conditions near the highway. Those claims should be distinguished from confirmed details in the initial crash reporting and should not be treated as judicial findings unless established through the legal process.
Sara’s obituary remembers her as a mother, labor and delivery nurse, and family member whose life was cut short in the collision.
Disclaimer: This article is based on published obituary information and news reports. Allegations described in connection with civil litigation remain allegations unless established by a court. Readers should consult the funeral home’s obituary and credible reporting for additional verified details.