2 fatalities this week from area accidents
Published 10:03 pm Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Two accidents have claimed lives in the area this week, one from a farm incident and one involving a motor vehicle wreck on I-55 just south of Lincoln County.
On Tuesday, Lincoln County Coroner Clay McMorris responded at 4:30 a.m. to the scene of an accident on a chicken farm in the county, where an employee was reported to have died in an accident.
McMorris confirmed that an accident involving an employee and a piece of equipment had resulted in the death of the worker, identified as Cody Travis of McComb, age early- to mid-30s.
The body was sent for autopsy.
On Wednesday, around 8:30 a.m., state troopers responded to a traffic accident on I-55 in Pike County that resulted in the death of one man.
Troopers arrived at the scene just south of exit 24 on the northbound side to find a 2019 Dodge Charger in the wooded median. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the vehicle was traveling north when it left the roadway and collided with several trees before overturning.
The collision killed the front seat passenger, who was not wearing a seatbelt, according to an MHP release. He was pronounced dead on the scene by the coroner.
The rear seat passenger suffered moderate injuries and was air lifted to Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg, and the driver, who also suffered moderate injuries, was transported by ambulance to King’s Daughters Medical Center in Brookhaven.
The driver was identified as Gabriel Schofield, 18, of Natchez, and the rear seat passenger was identified as Harrison Tharpe, 19, of Brandon.
The front seat passenger, who was killed in the accident, was identified as Sterling Yarbrough, 19, of Natchez.