PEDESTRIAN KILLED ON I-55 IN NEW MADRID COUNTY

A tractor-trailer struck and killed a man in the driving lane of southbound Interstate 55 south of Matthews sometime after midnight Tuesday, the New Madrid County Sheriff's Department reported.

The name of the pedestrian was being withheld pending notification of his family.

A New Madrid County dispatcher, Susan Wheeler, provided no other information about the man in a statement she read, which was prepared by investigators with the sheriff's department and the Missouri Highway Patrol. The investigators could not be reached for comment.

The driver of the rig drove away from scene, Wheeler said.

I-55 between the New Madrid and Matthews exits was closed for most of Tuesday morning during the investigation. Wheeler said the investigation would continue this morning.