The current arctic cold blast in Mississippi has claimed the life of a sixth person.
According to the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, a weather-related death was reported in Washington County on Thursday evening. Additional information about the death has not been released at this time.
The first death happened during a car accident in Humphreys County on Sunday. Around 8 p.m., a man was killed on the side of Highway 49 near the Will Whittington Auxiliary Channel Bridge when he was assessing damage to his vehicle.
The victim, whose identity has not yet been released, was struck by a white Ford F-250. The truck then fled, and the driver has not yet been taken into custody. Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact the Mississippi Highway Patrol.
“Obviously, with the announced fatality that occurred in north Mississippi a couple of days ago, that was a tragic reminder of the seriousness of what we’re dealing with from a weather standpoint,” Gov. Tate Reeves said. “We certainly want to make sure that everyone across the state is careful.”
The second weather-related death took place in Sharkey County after 32-year-old Stefan Thompson’s body was found in a field at an elementary school in Rolling Fork. The victim, who had been staying with relatives, is said to have gone for a walk before dying from hypothermia.
MEMA earlier Thursday announced three additional deaths, with two occurring in Chickasaw County after a sedan crashed into a wooded area off Highway 15 near Houston. The fifth death is said to be a 67-year-old Florence woman who died from hypothermia in her car.
More dangerous cold is expected to impact the entire state of Mississippi beginning Friday night into Saturday night, according to the National Weather Service.
This will cause hazardous driving conditions. The Mississippi Department of Transportation is advising drivers in North Mississippi to stay off the roadways from Grenada to the Tennessee state line.
