Detective Paul Newell was killed in a motorcycle crash at 6:30 am at the intersection of Southeast Walton Boulevard and Southeast Metro Parkway while escorting vehicles delivering wreaths to veteran gravesites as part of Wreaths Across America.

His police motorcycle struck a curb, lost control, and then collided with a tractor trailer that was being escorted. He succumbed to his injuries at the scene.

Detective Newell was a United States Army veteran and had served with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office for 24 years. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, mother, father, two brothers, and a sister.