Gary DiGiuseppe
Longtime central Arkansas journalist and newscaster Gary DiGiuseppe died in a fiery collision this morning on I-430, according to the Arkansas State Police and DiGiuseppe’s colleagues at Cumulus Broadcasting and KARN news radio.
A woman driving a Buick the wrong way on the interstate struck DiGiuseppe’s Ford head-on at 3:49 a.m. on the interstate bridge over the Arkansas River, police said. Video recorded by a witness indicated both vehicles burst into flames. The woman, who wasn’t immediately identified, was also killed.
DiGiuseppe, 60, was the morning newscaster on “First News With Kevin Miller” on KARN, according to a statement from Cumulus, which said he was on his way to work from his home in Maumelle when he was killed. DiGiuseppe also provided daily newscasts for the Arkansas Radio Network, where he was once farm director.
A member of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting since 1983, DiGiuseppe was a graduate of Eastern Michigan University and former reporter at stations and networks in Fort Dodge, Iowa; Jefferson City, Missouri; and Milan, Michigan.
He wrote freelance articles for Arkansas Money & Politics, most recently about drone use on farms and a visit to Little Rock by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. He had also worked in the newsroom of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, according to Arkansas Online.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Gary DiGiuseppe’s wife, Mary, and the rest of his family as we all face the realization of the shocking loss,” the Cumulus/KARN news release said. “Our thoughts and prayers are also with the family of the unidentified woman who died in this tragic crash.”
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