One dead following single-motorcycle crash Sunday

A Sunday afternoon motorcycle accident resulted in the death of a Newton man.

According to the press release sent by the Jasper County Sheriff’s office, deputies were dispatched around 1:42 p.m. Sunday on a call of a single-vehicle motorcycle accident in the 5400 Block of Highway S74 South, just south of Newton. The accident was witnessed by another motorist and no other vehicles were involved in the incident.

The Jasper County Sheriff and Newton Fire and EMS responded to the scene and pronounced the rider dead at the scene. The rider was identified as Robert Van Arkel, 59, of Newton.

Van Arkel was a retired Newton paramedic and firefighter, retiring in 2016 after 28 years of service. He began his career with the department in May 1988.

The investigation into the cause of the accident is ongoing.