Hattiesburg man dies in wreck

Published 6:00 am Monday, December 20, 2004

A Hattiesburg man died Friday morning in a two-vehicle accidenton Highway 583 north of Ruth.

At 11:12 a.m. Robert L. Sumrall, 55, of Hattiesburg, crossed theyellow line on Highway 583 in a white 1996 Dodge pick-up into thepath of a 1994 Ford truck driven by Dewayne E. Nettles Jr., 43, ofBrookhaven, said Staff Sgt. Rod Crawford, public affairs officer ofthe Mississippi Highway Patrol District 9.

“Sumrall was pronounced dead at the scene by the Lincoln CountyCoroner,” Crawford said.

Subscribe to our free email newsletter

Get the latest news sent to your inbox

Nettles, owner of Mobile Home Transports of Brookhaven, wastraveling south, hauling half of a manufactured home. Sumrall wastraveling in the opposite direction, pulling a lightweight utilitytrailer, when the accident occurred.

“My stepdad (Dewayne Nettles) has been in the transport businessfor seven or eight years,” Heather Watson said at the accidentscene. “Nothing like this has ever happened.”

Lincoln County Coroner-Medical Examiner Clay McMorris said theaccident occurred about a half mile north of Ruth. He pronouncedSumrall dead at noon.

The Brookhaven Fire Department was called to bring theJaws-of-Life to extract the victim from the wreckage. Units fromRuth First Responders, Mississippi Highway Patrol and King’sDaughters paramedics were also at the scene.

Crawford said both men were wearing their seat belts when theaccident occurred and that Sumrall’s air bags had deployed. Nettleswas not injured.

No citations were issued in the accident, Crawford said.

Moore Funeral Home in Hattiesburg is in charge of Sumrall’sarrangements.