On July 24, 1984, a tragic incident unfolded at the Grand Central Motel Lodge in Hot Springs, Arkansas, resulting in the death of 34-year-old truck driver Tom Altringer. The assailant, identified as 33-year-old Wayne Crossley from Benton, Arkansas, initiated a violent rampage that left four individuals dead and one wounded.
The sequence of events began when Crossley, who had been ejected from the motel's lounge for intoxication, returned armed with a shotgun.
He fatally shot lounge manager Helen Frazee, patrons James J. Stephens and Juanita Allen, and truck driver Tom Altringer. Crossley then shot and wounded truck driver John D. Crue, who was in critical but stable condition after surgery. Following these attacks, Crossley engaged in a shootout with police Sergeant Wayne Warwick, who was seriously wounded. As law enforcement officers prepared to enter the motel, Crossley died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the heart.
In the aftermath, Crossley's companions, Jerry C. Wooten, Raymond Wooten, and Carl Langley, were detained as material witnesses. They were held on bonds of $2,500 each. The investigation revealed that Crossley had a history of violent crimes, including terroristic threatening. The incident was described as the worst tragedy in the history of Hot Springs, a city once known for high-rolling gamblers and organized crime figures.
