JASPER, Ark. – A 20-year-old university student died after falling off a cliff in northwestern Arkansas, authorities said.
Newton County Sheriff Glenn Wheeler says Andrea Norton was fatally injured on Saturday when she accidentally fell from a rock formation near Jasper, about 101 miles northwest of Little Rock.
Wheeler says Norton was with a group of college students from Sioux City, Iowa, and was reportedly re-positioning herself for a photo when she fell about 100 feet off the Hawksbill Crag, a popular hiking destination within the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest.
Wheeler says the crag is widely considered one of Arkansas’ most-photographed hiking areas, and several people have died in falls there in recent years. Also known as Whitaker Point, the rocky outcrop gets its name because it resembles a hawk’s bill.
Briar Cliff University said that Norton, originally from Hot Springs, South Dakota, was a student and member of the school’s volleyball team. “We are saddened by the unexpected passing of our beloved teammate Andrea Norton. #22 on the court, #1 in our hearts,” the team said in a tweet.
