MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Arkansas State Police (ASP) said one construction worker has died and another is critically injured after a high-speed chase on I-55 in West Memphis. The suspect involved remains on the run.
ASP said it was called in to investigate the chase and crash that happened Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, at about 10 p.m. on Interstate 55 in West Memphis.
ASP investigators said West Memphis Police (WMPD) had stopped a maroon Corvette for a traffic violation on East Broadway. They said the driver took off onto I-55 south, headed into a construction zone.
They said WMPD officers chased the vehicle, which struck two Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) workers before continuing on into Memphis.
ASP said 36-year-old Justin Delgado of Lola, Texas, died at the scene. A second worker was taken to Regional One Hospital in Memphis in critical condition.
Investigators said the vehicle involved was found engulfed in flames in the 200 block of West McKellar Ave. in Memphis. The driver was nowhere to be found.
Anyone with information on the suspect can call Arkansas State Police.
The City of West Memphis issued the following statement: "The City of West Memphis and Mayor McClendon express our deepest condolences to the family of Justin Delgado, the highway worker who tragically lost his life, and to the other worker who was seriously injured in Wednesday night’s incident on the I-55 bridge.
The West Memphis Police Department has requested that the Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation Division investigate the incident, which occurred during a police pursuit. At this time, the suspect remains at large, and the investigation is ongoing. While we are unable to provide additional details due to the active investigation, we are committed to keeping the public informed as new information becomes available.
Our thoughts are with the families, coworkers, and everyone affected by this heartbreaking event."
