A Brookhaven man was involved in a one-caraccident Thursday morning in which the Jaws of Life were needed tofree him from a burning vehicle, authorities said.

    Channing Deforest Sims, 19, of Zetus Road, was driving east onZetus Road toward Brookhaven when his 1998 Pontiac Sunfire ran offthe left side of the road at 7:15 a.m., according to the LincolnCounty Sheriff’s Department.

    Sheriff Steve Rushing and deputies working the scene said the carrolled over at least once, struck a tree and caught fire.

    Sims, trapped inside the vehicle, was freed when Brookhaven FireDepartment (BFD) firefighters arrived to put out the fire and usedthe Jaws of Life to cut off the top of the car, according to BFDShift Capt. Robbie Thibodeaux. The Zetus Volunteer Fire Departmentalso responded to put out the flaming car.

    Officials said Sims was transported by ambulance to King’sDaughters Medical Center (KDMC). He was in stable condition andtransferred to the University of Mississippi Medical Center inJackson, said David Culpepper, KDMC spokesman.

    Rushing urged driver safety as officials investigate the secondaccident this week in which a motorist ran off a county road andstruck a tree.

    “We’re trying to sort out the details and it’s still underinvestigation,” the sheriff said about today’s accident. “But it’sjust unfortunate we’ve had two in a row here. People need to becareful on the roads.”

    On Tuesday afternoon, an SUV collided head-on with a tree onCalifornia Road and caught fire. The driver was responsive afterthe accident and in stable condition Wednesday in Jackson,officials said.