Trinity County Sheriff: Arkansas woman found near burned car died of smoke inhalation

TRINITY COUNTY, TX (KTRE) - An Arkansas woman whose body was found near a burned car in Trinity County on Sept. 29 died from smoke inhalation, according an autopsy report.

Trinity County Sheriff Woody Wallace explained how dangerous smoke can be

"It doesn't take a whole lot of smoke to cause some serious injury to somebody," said Wallace. "And, what people don't realize is that in most fires, people don't die from the fire. They die of smoke inhalation first, or they're unconscious and then possibly the fire can kill them."

Because of the "strange nature" of the incident, Wallace said that some people questioned whether or not foul play was involved.

"There was a lot of questions about what really happened," said Wallace. "A lot of people were suspecting that this must have been some foul play. It didn't seem right. Which at first it didn't seem right when we saw it. But, now, with evidence from the pathologist, we can explain it all away."

Wallace said Tuesday that the woman has been identified as 68-year-old Glenna S. Taylor.

Taylor's car was found on Old Onalaska Road near the Trinity-Polk County line, Wallace said Taylor's body was found near the car.

Witnesses said Taylor left the American Legion in Livingston at about 10:30 p.m. on Sept. 28, Wallace said. He added that she left to give someone a ride home to Onalaska and was supposed to return to Livingston.

Taylor took a wrong turn on to Old Onalaska Road and eventually tried to use a driveway to turn around, Wallace said. He said it appears as though she got stuck in a culvert and was spinning out.

At some point, the nearby grass caught on fire, Wallace said. Then Taylor's car caught on fire as well.

Wallace said Taylor managed to get out of the car, but then she burned her arms when she went back to try to get some of her things from the car. He said she made it a short distance away from the car and collapsed.

The autopsy report shows that Taylor died of smoke inhalation, Wallace said.

A Trinity County justice of the peace pronounced Taylor dead at the scene and ordered an autopsy to be performed.

The Texas Rangers assisted with the investigation.

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