A Bentonville man died Sunday when his motorcycle traveled off a curve on Arkansas 72 two miles east of Bentonville and struck a metal fence, according to the Arkansas State Police preliminary fatal crash summary.
Philip W. Marbut of Bentonville was alone on the 2011 Kawasaki when it crashed going east at 3:20 p.m. in the single-vehicle accident, the report states. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 4:45 p.m., according to the report.
"Philip is my best friend, he was probably the most real person you could ever meet," Jacob Spencer said with tears in his eyes.
The two met when Philip began working for Walmart three years ago.
The roadway was clear and dry, the report states. Spencer said Philip was on his way to see a friend.
"There was a friend that lives out by Pea Ridge. They were going out to his house to see where they were going to go from there to go out for a motorcycle ride on Sunday," Spencer said.
His friend and co-worker Jared Kluver remembers his dear friend.
"Phillip was awesom. He was always there for you. He always had your back when you needed to talk he was there for you," Kluver said.
Kluver said Philip was a system analyst for Walmart.
The report did not indicate if he was wearing a helmet.
"Of course, I asked for the hospital and the words that came out were there is no need for a hospital, it just floored me, devastated," Kluver said.
Philip's jujitsu and judo instructor Stephen Gourley said Philip was an extraordinary person and athlete.
"Some people can train their whole lifetime and not have half the amounts of the natural talent that he had in his pinky finger," Gourley said.
Gourley met Philip eight years ago when he moved to Northwest Arkansas from Texas.
"He was such a phenomenal friend and such a phenomenal athlete," he added.
Marbut was taken to Northwest Medical Center in Bentonville, according to the report.
Marbut was 26 years old, a family friend told 5NEWS.
Visitation is set for July 18 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The funeral service will be held July 19 at 10 a.m. at Chappelwood Funeral Home in Nash, Texas.