WEST FORK, Ark. — A Dumas man has died after a vehicle struck him while standing near his vehicle on Interstate-49 near West Fork on Wednesday night, officials say in a fatal crash report.
According to the report, 20-year-old Wayne Simmons was struck by a vehicle while standing next to his vehicle on the side of the I-49 near Mile Marker 48. While driving southbound at around 10:30 p.m., a vehicle “veered to the right” and sideswiped Simmons' vehicle and then Simmons, who was standing nearby, the report said.
A tow truck driver, Shane Andreasen, reached out to 5NEWS before the fatal crash report was made public wanting to urge drivers to move over after he said his company was helping the man who died.
Andreasen said while responding to a customer with car troubles at the same time and place listed on the deadly report, the oncoming car failed to move over. He reached out to 5NEWS to not only urge safety to those stranded, but to make clear the importance of moving over when you see a stalled vehicle and/or tow truck on the side of the road.
“It's a matter of willpower— hit the brakes or get over. I'm not asking you to take twenty minutes out of your day. I'm asking you to save my life. I don't want to die out there, especially over a tire change,” Andreasen said.
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The fatal crash report said Simmons was transported to a nearby hospital.
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