Three killed on highways in Arkansas

Two people were killed on Arkansas roadways on Independence Day and a juvenile pedestrian was killed Friday, Arkansas State Police preliminary crash reports said.

Mihai Portean, 24, of Shoreline, Wash., pulled his vehicle over to the side of Interstate 30 about 3:30 a.m. Thursday in Hot Spring County near Malvern, the report said. Investigators were not immediately sure why Portean pulled over, but another vehicle struck and killed him.

The person in the other vehicle continued driving after striking Portean, and investigators listed no witnesses to indicate the make or model of the vehicle, according to the report.

Patrick Ewart Corbin, 54, died late Thursday after his vehicle crossed the centerline of Arkansas 64 in Johnson County near Coal Hill and pulled in front of an oncoming car, a report said. Three people in the oncoming car, including one 15-year-old, were injured in the crash and taken to Johnson County Regional Medical Center.

The crash happened at 10:06 p.m., and investigators said Corbin was attempting to turn right onto Gravel Hill Road when he pulled in front of the Dodge Ram heading east on Arkansas 64.

The pavement was listed as dry and the weather clear at the times of the crashes.

On Friday, a juvenile male whose age was not listed on the preliminary report died after a GMC Sierra truck struck him on Arkansas 167 in Independence County north of Batesville, a report said. Investigators said in the report that the youth was walking south along Arkansas 167 and attempted to cross the highway when the truck hit him.

The youth was initially taken to White River Medical Center for treatment, and later his body was moved to Roller Crouch Funeral Home, the report said.

Weather conditions were listed as rainy and the pavement as wet at the time of the accident.