JONES COUNTY, Miss.–A deadly weekend on Mississippi’s highways started Friday when three teenagers died on the scene of a wreck in the Calhoun community in Jones County. A fourth teen who was in the car died Saturday at the hospital.
Brandi Smith, 19, was taken off life support Saturday. She was the driver of a car that hit a tree on a county road. All four teens in the car were thrown out.
Sheriff Alex Hodge told media that none of the teens were wearing a seatbelt. He also believed they were speeding.
Killed at the scene were Olivia Wells, 16; Ethan Heinrich, 14; and Elizabeth Wells, 13.
Another wreck in Jones County killed the diver of a tanker truck that wrecked and caught fire Sunday. Mark Gardener, 54, died when his truck, which was hauling crude oil, hit and tree and turned over, reported WDAM. Residents in the area were evacuated because of the danger of an explosion, but were later allowed to return home.
In Madison County two people died Saturday night when a Toyota Avalon and a Toyota Camry hit head on on Hwy. 43, north of Canton. Killed were Jamesica Jackson, 20, of Canton, and Timothy Watkins, 45, of Clinton.
State troopers said neither victim was wearing a seatbelt and they are looking into whether Watkins may have been drinking.
In Union County Tyler Loden, 21, of Blue Mountain, was killed Sunday about 3:45 p.m. when he crossed into the wrong lane and hit Brenda Harris’ Toyota Highlander head-on on Hwy. 30. Harris, 39, also died in the wreck. Troopers said neither one was wearing a seatbelt.
