A Smithdale woman is dead after a late Saturday night accidenton Interstate 55.

Lincoln County Deputy Coroner John Hart said Charlotte Hamilton,49, of 6294B Highway 570, was killed instantly when she was struckby at least one vehicle on I-55 around 1:30 a.m.

“She was dead on impact,” said Hart, who confirmed thatHamilton’s body is at the state crime lab in Jackson for anautopsy. “Obviously the investigation is still ongoing.”

Mississippi Highway Patrol Sgt. Rusty Boyd said Hamilton waswalking along I-55 after her car broke down just south of Exit 38.She was walking north on the northbound side of the interstate whenshe was hit.

“We don’t know exactly what happened, but we know she was struckby one vehicle, and then hit by at least one more,” Boyd said.

The vehicle or vehicles which struck Hamilton did not stop, andauthorities say it is a possibility the driver or drivers of thevehicles did not realize what they had hit. Boyd said a subject hascome forward in the incident, but due to the ongoing investigation,names and details are not yet being released.

The accident was reported around 1:30 a.m., when a group ofmotorists, including one off-duty highway patrolman, stopped afterseeing Hamilton’s body in the road. Boyd said the Highway Patrol isseeking other calls from people who might have seen something onthe interstate Saturday night.

“Anyone who might have seen something is asked to call MHP withthat information,” Boyd said.

Hart said the interstate was shut down for a few hours asofficials investigated the scene. The Brookhaven Fire Department,who stood by, returned to the station at 3:30 a.m., officialssaid.

Funeral arrangements for Hamilton are still incomplete.