WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. – Arkansas State Police (ASP) are investigating a tragic incident involving a police chase that resulted in the death of a road construction worker and serious injuries to another.
According to an ASP news release, the chase began around 10 p.m. on Wednesday, September 18, when a West Memphis police officer stopped a Corvette for a traffic violation on East Broadway Avenue. The driver fled at a high rate of speed, entering a construction zone on Interstate 55 South.
During the pursuit, the suspect vehicle struck two workers contracted by the Arkansas Department of Transportation. Justin Delgado, 36, from Iola, Texas, was pronounced dead at the scene by the Crittenden County coroner. The second worker was transported to Regional One Health Hospital in critical condition.
Following the collision, the Corvette was later found by Memphis police fully engulfed in flames. Authorities are still searching for the suspect involved in the chase.
ASP clarified that no troopers were involved in the pursuit, and the West Memphis Police Department has requested the ASP’s Criminal Investigation Division to handle the investigation into the incident.
As the investigation continues, local officials are mourning the loss of Delgado and calling attention to the dangers faced by workers in construction zones.
