A one-vehicle accident on Highway 550 Monday night claimed thelife of a teenage girl while another is in critical condition atthe University of Mississippi Medical Center, officials said.

Lincoln County Coroner Clay McMorris said Tara Maxwell, 16, of3211 Peyton Lane in Wesson, was pronounced dead on the scene of theaccident, which occurred at 10:03 p.m. McMorris said it looked asthough she died instantly of injuries sustained when she was thrownfrom the car.

Officials said Tiffany Henderson, 15, was transported to King’sDaughters Medical Center by ambulance and then taken to the UMC byhelicopter. A UMC spokesperson said Tuesday morning that Hendersonis in critical condition.

Boyd said the 2005 Toyota Matrix the girls were riding in leftthe right side of the road and struck an embankment just west ofthe intersection of Macedonia Road and Highway 550.

“The vehicle rolled several times, ejecting both of them,” Boydsaid. “No restraints were used.”

Maxwell had been a student at Loyd Star High School untilrecently, when she had started home school, Loyd Star PrincipalRobin Case said. Henderson is a student at Brookhaven Academy.

McMorris said Maxwell’s arrangements are incomplete.

There was also another fatality Monday in the Troop M District,Boyd said.

Douglas Van Winkle, 49, of Natchez, was traveling east onHighway 28 four miles west of Union Church when his 2003 Ford F350struck a tree that was laying across the road.

Boyd said the accident occurred at 6:02 a.m., and thatvisibility may have played a part in Van Winkle’s accident. Boydsaid Van Winkle was transported to KDMC from the scene and sentfrom there to UMC, where he died yesterday afternoon.

Douglas’ arrangements are unknown.