Body, motorcycle found beside I-40
Posted on Friday, September 5, 2008
CO NWAY — Police on Thursday found alongside Interstate 40 in Conway the body of a man they believe is a missing motorcyclist from West Memphis.
Arkansas State Police said the body is believed to be that of Clifford Eugene Pinkston, 45, and that he apparently had been dead several days. State police spokesman Bill Sadler said a wrecked motorcycle was found a short distance from the body near the 124-mile marker.
Conway Fire Chief Bart Castleberry said authorities got a call Aug. 29 reporting a motorcycle wreck in that area. He said the Fire Department sent personnel to the scene and that an ambulance also went there. When they arrived, no witnesses were on hand and personnel could not find any wrecked vehicles.
“They drove up and down both sides of the interstate” all the way to the [Conway ] County line, Castleberry said. Emergency and rescue workers then checked the western stretch of U. S. 64 but never found anything.
On Wednesday the West Memphis Police Department issued a statement asking for the public’s help in finding Pinkston, last seen alive the night of Aug. 29 at a Mexican restaurant in Conway. Capt. Donald Oakes of the West Memphis police said Pinkston was traveling to Jasper in northern Arkansas to visit friends, who reported him missing when he didn’t show up.
On Thursday, the Log Cabin Democrat in Conway carried an article about the missing man having been seen there.
Castleberry said the emergency workers who made the original rescue run saw the article. He called the Conway and West Memphis police to say that rescue workers were going to renew their search.
“Two [Conway police ] officers found him while we were on our way,” Castleberry said.
The fire chief said there’s a slope along that section of the interstate. He said the body was found near the edge of tall brush and some bushes.
Sadler said the body was sent to the state Crime Laboratory.
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