PEA RIDGE — Police Officer Joey Ferris was injured Thursday night when he was struck by a car while directing traffic around a one-vehicle accident on Slack Street.
He was taken to Northwest Medical Center-Bentonville.
Ferris was standing on the side of the street about 6 p.m. directing traffic with a flashlight in front of Dollar General when he was hit.
Ferris’ illuminated flashlight and notebook lay in the wet ditch, his broken glasses on the edge of the pavement where he stood moments before, while emergency personnel — firefighters, paramedics and police — surrounded the officer who lay on the wet grass.
State Police Cpl. Desmond Benton said Heather Patton, 18, of Pea Ridge was westbound on Slack Street when she struck Ferris. She told police she didn’t see him.
State Police investigated the accident. Benton County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Little Flock police assisted in traffic control.
The accident Ferris was working involved Bennie Cron of Washburn, Mo. Cron ran off the wet road and hit a tree. His friend, Ed Caruthers, was attempting to get the car out of the ditch when Ferris was hit.
“I heard a thump, looked up and saw him (Ferris) flying through the air,” said Caruthers of Seligman, Mo.
Caruthers and Cron, both first responders with Seligman Fire Department, ran to Ferris.
“I used his (Ferris) radio to call for help,” Caruthers said, while we held his head. “We wanted to keep him stable.”
Cron’s wife, Carol Cron, was parked in the Dollar General parking lot when she saw Ferris flying through the air and called 911.
“I heard the hit, saw him fly through the air, and started running over to them,” she said.
“He was conscious and talking while they were working on him,” said Police Chief Tim Ledbetter.
Ferris, 28, has been with the department since 2010.