NORTHWEST ARKANSAS — Two accidents slowed traffic on Interstate 540 near Springdale on Saturday evening.
According to the Arkansas State Police, a motorcycle driven by Lucas Pyle, 34, of Fayetteville went out of control and struck a parked car on the shoulder of the interstate at 6:32 p.m. Saturday as Pyle attempted to avoid a collision with another car.
Police said, according to witnesses, Pyle was northbound using the right lane of Interstate 540 south of the Watkins Street overpass in Springdale.
Witnesses told investigating officers that a vehicle in the left lane began a lane change to the right. Pyle moved to the shoulder to avoid a collision and ran into the rear of a 1991 Buick that was parked and abandoned on the shoulder.
Pyle’s motorcycle crossed the northbound lanes, overturning many times before coming to rest in the median, police said.
The vehicle that began the improper lane change did not remain on the scene, according to a police report.
State Police officials said they have no further information on the other vehicle, but that there is no evidence that the vehicle changing lanes and the motorcycle ever came into contact.
Pyle was taken to Washington Regional Medical Center.
The second accident occurred at 7:04 p.m. Saturday in the southbound lane of the interstate, according to a police report.
A Honda CRV, driven by Iskandar O. Islamov, was traveling south on the interstate when traffic ahead stopped suddenly, police said.
Islamov swerved to the right, police said, and struck the concrete barrier on the right shoulder of the road.
The vehicle overturned twice and came to rest on its top facing north in the outside traffic lane, according to police.
Islamov was taken to Northwest Medical Center-Springdale.
State Police could not provide the age or hometown of the Islamov Sunday afternoon and no condition report on either of the injured drivers was available Sunday afternoon.