The Mississippi Highway Patrol responded to 110 crashes resulting in 38 injuries and two deaths during the Independence Day travel period.
Lt. Kervin Stewart said Monday that the fatal accidents happened in Marion County on July 3 and DeSoto County on July 4. The Marion County crash claimed the life of a Louisiana man. The DeSoto County accident claimed the life of a pedestrian, identified as 38-year-old James Taylor.
Taylor, a native of Clarksdale, and another individual are said to have been struck by a 2019 Nissan Sentra that was traveling west along Highway 302. The other individual suffered “serious injuries” and was transported to a Memphis hospital.
Both crashes remain under investigation.
As for the number of citations issued, Stewart did not provide a specific figure, but said MHP has shifted to an approach that is more focused on public safety than keeping tabs on how many tickets were handed out. Stewart, however, confirmed that troopers assisted 68 motorists with needs including roadway services, calling a tow truck, changing tires, and getting medical personnel to the scene.
“We’ve had troopers deliver babies and all kinds of things,” Stewart said on MidDays with Gerard Gibert. “You just never know what you may run across. Sometimes people are just taking a break on the side of the road to check their phones and messages, and they just don’t want to be in traffic. We’re going to get out there, check on them, and make sure they’re okay.”
During the MHP’s 2025 Independence Day enforcement period, troopers issued more than 4,800 citations, arrested 74 drivers for impaired driving, and investigated 90 crashes that resulted in 34 injuries and one fatality.
