Pedestrian hit, killed by semi on I-55

A pedestrian was killed Saturday morning after being hit by a semi-truck on Interstate 55 in wet and rainy conditions, Arkansas State Police said Sunday.

The driver of the 2003 Peterbilt truck was traveling north on I-55 through Crittenden County at 1:18 a.m. when he hit 54-year-old Earl Parker of Memphis, Tenn., according to a police report.

The driver was unsure of what he hit, and when deputies arrived, they found Parker dressed in a blue sweatsuit and laying on the inside shoulder, police said.

Deputy Coroner Larry Wolfe pronounced Parker dead at the scene.

In a second wreck Saturday, one man was killed and another was injured when their ATV hit the end of a concrete bridge at Newton Creek around 10:32 p.m., according to a report.

Deputies said Matthew Ford, 19, and Gregory Pogue, 23, both of North Little Rock were traveling west along the shoulder of Interstate 40 near Newton when they hit the bridge and were thrown from the vehicle.

Ford was taken to Baptist Medical Center, where he died of his injuries at 1:15 a.m. Sunday, police said. Pogue was also taken to the hospital to be treated for injuries.

Weather and road conditions were described as clear and dry at the time of the accident, according to the report.

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