Web-posted Friday, August 29, 2008
Police search for family of slain man


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Larry Collard


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SHARE THIS STORY: Amarillo police are searching for the family of a man killed in an accident Tuesday afternoon on Interstate 40 near Airport Boulevard.
Larry Collard, 63, of Amarillo, was hit by a pickup while trying to cross the interstate. The accident closed a portion of I-40 for several hours.

The decision to publicly identify a victim before contacting family members is extremely rare, but officials haven't had any luck finding Collard's family, Sgt. Brent Barbee said.

"It's not often, but I don't know every step they took to find the next of kin," he said.

Barbee said officials identified Collard using fingerprints.

"(He's) been arrested for crimes here locally that would indicate that he is a homeless person," Barbee said.

Police records indicate Collard's most recent arrest came May 30 for panhandling at the 8500 block of I-40 - just blocks away from where Tuesday's accident occurred.

"There is a possibility he had a place to stay out there in that area," Barbee said.

A computer inquiry linked Collard back to a small Arkansas town, Barbee noted.

Collard, also known as Darryl Wade Shaddon, had "noticeably" blue eyes, gray hair, was 5 foot 11 inches and weighed 180 pounds, police said.

Anyone with information may contact APD's Traffic Investigation Division at 806-378-4250.

- Staff writer Janelle Stecklein