Police Kept Busy During Busy Holiday Weekend; No Local Fatal Wrecks Reported

By Alyssa Schnugg
News Editor
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com

While the Thanksgiving holiday and the annual Egg Bowl rivalry game between Ole Miss and Mississippi State University made for a busy weekend in Oxford, no major or fatal wrecks were reported in Oxford.

“We had a busy Thursday night with the Egg Bowl crowd, however, as of this morning we are only working two burglaries,” said Maj. Jeff McCutchen with the Oxford Police Department. We put a lot of focus on neighborhood patrols and shopping areas to discourage burglaries and thefts during this time.”

No major or fatal wrecks were reported on local roadways; however, the Mississippi Highway Patrol responded to three wrecks in other parts of the state that resulted in five deaths.

MHP concluded its Thanksgiving enforcement period on Sunday that began on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.

In Troop E, which includes Lafayette County, troopers made nine arrests for people driving under the influence. They investigated 29 wrecks that resulted in nine people suffering injuries. Alcohol was not attributed as a factor in any of the 29 wrecks.

Troopers issued 520 citations in Troop E with 16 for seat belt violations and one for child seat violations.

Statewide, troopers made 98 DUI arrests and investigated 200 wrecks, which resulted in five fatalities.

The fatal wrecks occurred in Pearl River County, Monroe County and Jefferson County.

There were no fatal wrecks reported in Lafayette County over the holiday weekend, according to Lafayette County Coroner Rocky Kennedy.

MHP provided the following information on the fatal wrecks that occurred in Mississippi during the holiday weekend:

On Thursday at approximately 10:26 a.m., MHP responded to a fatal crash which occurred on Interstate 59 southbound, near mile marker 39 in Pearl River County, claiming the lives of three people.

• Upon arrival, it appeared a 2018 Dodge Caravan, driven by Shelley E. Rose a 48-year-old female of Asheville, North Carolina, was traveling north on Interstate 59 in the southbound lane. The Dodge crashed head-on with a southbound 2007 Saturn Ion, driven by Jada J. Bright, a 23-year-old female of Picayune. After impact with the Saturn, the Dodge then crashed head-on with a southbound 2003 Nissan Altima, driven by Evans Vincent, a 45-year-old male of Albertville, Alabama. A southbound 2011 Honda CRV crashed into the Saturn and rolled over into the wood line. A southbound 2007 Toyota Tundra drove through the crash scene and crashed into several pieces of debris. Rose, Bright, and Vincent were pronounced dead on the scene from injuries sustained in the crash. The driver and two passengers of the Honda were transported to Forrest General Hospital with minor injuries. The driver of the Toyota was transported to Forrest General Hospital with minor injuries.

• Also on Thursday, at approximately 5:03 p.m., MHP responded to a fatal crash on US 45A near Lenoir Loop in Monroe County. A white 1989 International 18 wheeler driven by 45-year-old Calvin Dewayne Walker of Prairie was traveling south when a 2000 white GMC Yukon driven by 43-year-old Brian Bishop of Aliceville, Alabama, also traveling south, collided with the rear of the 18-wheeler. Brandi N. Bishop, 42, a passenger in the GMC Yukon, was pronounced dead at the scene. No other injuries were reported. 

• On Saturday at approximately 12:26 p.m., MHP responded to a fatal accident in Jefferson County involving an all-terrain vehicle. Frank Bozeman, 33, of Jackson, was driving the ATV traveling west on MS 552 west of Fellowship Road. Two other occupants, George Henyard Jr., 61, of Morgan City, Louisiana and Anthony Brown, 59, of St. Martinville, Louisiana were passengers on the ATV.  George Henyard Jr. was riding on the rear of the ATV when his foot became lodged under the tire causing Henyard to be ejected from the ATV. He was air-lifted to University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson where he later died due to injuries sustained in the accident. Bozeman and Brown were not injured.

All wrecks remain under investigation by MHP.