D’IBERVILLE, Miss.–Mississippi’s highways were a deadly place for at least two people from out of state and one from right here at home this weekend. The wrecks happened at opposite ends of the state.
The first one was Saturday night on I-10 near D’Iberville, just inside Jackson County when 59-year-old Donald Lockhart of Louisiana had a “medical emergency” and lost control of the big rig he was driving. Coroner Vicki Broadus told media that he ended up crossing the median and hitting the vehicle driven by 59-year-old Kevin Benefield. Benefield, a well-known musician and teacher, died at the scene.
Broadus said Lockhart likely died of his “medical emergency” and not from the wreck.
Benefield had worked in the Pascagouls School District for many years and was known for his work with local choirs and bands.
In Tupelo, it was a wreck with a truck and a van filled with 14 people on the way back from a funeral in Arkansas that killed 49-year-old Elizabeth Everett of Miami.
Police said the van had made a wrong turn off of Hwy. 78 and was trying to get back on when it was hit by a truck.
Nobody in the truck was hurt, but in the van Everett was killed and four other people had to be taken to the hospital.
