Pedestrian struck, killed trying to cross Sacramento freeway identified as Australian pilot, 56
A man who was struck and killed May 4 after walking onto freeway lanes in the South Natomas section of Sacramento has been identified as an Australian-born helicopter pilot by loved ones.
Gary Clarke, 56, was identified by the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office as the man who died in the wreck that unfolded just after 3:30 a.m. Saturday on Interstate 5, just south of Arena Boulevard in Natomas Crossing.
Family and friends said Clark was a resident of Adelaide, Australia, and had been in the capital region working as a helicopter pilot since 2020.
The family is working to bring Clark’s body back to the province of South Australia for burial.
On Wednesday, loved ones started a GoFundMe page to raise money to help the family pay for funeral expenses.
“It is a difficult and expensive process to bring Gary home,” Kylie Payne, the fundraiser’s organizer and a family friend, wrote.
The California Highway Patrol said initially that Clark tried to walk from the northbound shoulder to the other side, but it was not clear why.
When the man reached the fast lane of the northbound side, he was struck by a Hyundai driven by a 30-year-old motorist, said Officer Justin Fetterly, a spokesman for the CHP North Sacramento’s office. The force of the collision threw the man into the center median of the freeway, Fetterly said.
CHP officers and Sacramento Fire Department personnel were called to the scene at 3:39 a.m. but Clarke was pronounced dead, Fetterly said. The motorist, who remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators, was treated at a hospital for minor injuries he received in the crash.
The CHP said Wednesday that the collision investigation was ongoing.
This story was originally published May 4, 2024 at 10:28 AM.
