Woman critical after being struck on I-630

Authorities respond Thursday, Oct. 11, 2012, to an accident involving a pedestrian on Interstate 630 near Louisiana Street in Little Rock.
Authorities respond Thursday, Oct. 11, 2012, to an accident involving a pedestrian on Interstate 630 near Louisiana Street in Little Rock.

— A pedestrian was taken to the hospital in critical condition Thursday afternoon after she was struck by a car while trying to cross Interstate 630, authorities said.

It happened about 12:15 p.m. as the woman, who was described by emergency responders as about 48 years old, was crossing south near Louisiana Street.

Little Rock Fire Department Capt. Jason Weaver said the woman was hit near the southern shoulder on the eastbound side. Shortly after being struck, the woman was on the ground, not moving, near the side of the highway before fire officials and medics strapped her onto a stretcher and loaded her into an ambulance.

Weaver said pedestrians should never walk across an interstate.

"It's dangerous," he said. "Cars are moving so fast that they don't have any reaction time by the time they see you."

The wreck for a time limited eastbound vehicles to one or two through lanes, causing a traffic backup in the area. Authorities were still on the scene about 1 p.m., but traffic was moving through all three lanes.

One man was arrested at the scene after the ambulance had already left, though Arkansas State Police said the charge was not related to the accident.

The man, whose name was not released, was placed in handcuffs a short time after a trooper administered a portable alcohol test. A trooper declined to release the charge, but said the man would be booked into the Pulaski County jail.

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