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Friends, Family Remember Mulberry Man Killed In Hit-And-Run Accident

FRANKLIN COUNTY (KFSM)-Friends and family members are mourning the loss of Patrick Ichtertz, the 25-year-old man who died Monday (April 20) after being struck b...

FRANKLIN COUNTY (KFSM)-Friends and family members are mourning the loss of Patrick Ichtertz, the 25-year-old man who died Monday (April 20) after being struck by a car on U.S. Highway 64 and Moon Road. Police are still looking for the driver who hit him.

“I heard the ambulances go by and my neighbor Shawna, which is also a really good friend of theirs too, she had come over to the house and was bawling, beating on the door, and said Patrick had just been hit by a car and said ‘I don’t know what to do’, and we ran outside, and we were bawling,” Ashley Thompson said.

Thompson went to high school with Shawn Ichtertz. His friends and family called him by his middle name, Patrick. Thompson said last Tuesday (April 14) he was walking to meet with an ex-girlfriend.

“All that I knew is that he had been hit," Thompson said. "He had been in an accident. They didn't know what happened. They didn't know how long he was there before he was found.”

Arkansas State Police said the victim was standing on the shoulder of U.S. Highway 64 between Ozark and Mulberry when a car traveling eastbound struck the victim and fled the scene of the accident.

“God provides miracles every single day,” Thompson said. “I'd hope that he'd bring a big miracle for us on this because is so young. He had his whole life to live ahead of him. He had so many nieces and nephews that love him to death.”

A police report said he died in the hospital at 9:50 p.m. Monday (April 20).

“My hopes out of the investigation is that they get justice for whoever had done it,” Thompson said. “Whether it was an accident or not, there's no telling. Nobody knows until it’s investigated further.”

The victim's mother declined to speak on camera, saying she was still too upset, but said her son did not deserve this senseless act of violence.

“I know that [finding who did this] would really, really help because it would bring so much peace and comfort to the family that they most definitely need,” Thompson said.

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office has turned the case over to state police. They are looking for a dark blue passenger car with a busted headlight on the passenger side. The passenger's side mirror and antenna also were missing.

If you have any information on this, you’re asked to call police.

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