Authorities say elderly couple, dairy farmer killed in Arkansas New Year's Eve twister

Dec 31, 2010

CINCINNATI, Ark. (AP) — The Washington County Sheriff's Office says the three people killed in an early morning tornado are an elderly couple and a farmer who died while milking cows in his dairy barn.

Sheriff Tim Helder says the Friday morning twister killed 88-year-old Gerald Wilson, and his wife, 78-year-old Mamie Wilson. They were in their rural Washington County home when the twister struck around 6 a.m. Friday. Also killed in the storm was 78-year-old Dick Murray, who was milking cows when the tornado hit.

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Cincinnati, Arkansas Tornado Kills Three

CINCINNATI, Ark (LALATE) – A tornado striking Cincinnati, Arkansas has killed as at least three people today. Cincinnati’s tornado set down in seasonably warm temperatures. Winds from the Gulf brought temps as warm as 70 degrees Thursday.

Local weather reports immediately warned residents of pending tornado activity on Friday. Nine minutes after tornado alerts were issued, a significant tornado set down at 6 am local time.

The Arkansas Department of Emergency Management says damage is widespread.

Highway 16 in sections of Benton County was closed Friday. A fire station in Cincinnati suffered a collapsed roof. The last reported tornado on New Years Eve was in 1975.

Washington County EMS has yet to release the name of the victims. 18,000 Ozarks Electric customer are back with power midday after outages earlier Friday.

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