By By Marianne Todd/The Meridian Star
Nov. 28, 2000
Mississippi Highway Patrol officials say three people died in car accidents in this area over the Thanksgiving weekend. Another 14 were arrested for DUI, and nearly 400 were cited for driving violations.
The Thanksgiving holiday began at 6 p.m. Wednesday and ended Sunday at midnight.
Sgt. Ronnie Carter, public affairs officer for Troop H in Meridian, said troopers in his division investigated three fatalities over the weekend. On Wednesday, 45-year-old Harris McCoy was killed after the Chevrolet he was driving left Highway 39 North about 6 miles south of DeKalb. That accident involved two other cars and is still under investigation, Carter said.
On Saturday, a Newton County accident on Highway 492 about 2 miles south of Sebastopol claimed the life of 20-year-old Daniel M. Petty of Route 3, Box 187, Philadelphia. Carter said Petty was killed after he was forced to swerve to avoid hitting some hay bales left on the roadway.
Trooper John Wade is still investigating a two-car accident that claimed the life of 18-year-old Matthew Allen Carroll of Brandon on Sunday. Carter said the accident happened at 6:17 p.m. on Interstate 20 near mile marker 77. Carter said the second car was driven by Fernando Rodrequez, also of Brandon. Details of the accident were not available at press time.
Carter said troopers who worked special holiday roadside safety checks also made two felony arrests and one public drunk arrest and wrote 71 non-hazardous violations, 10 seatbelt violations and nine child restraint violations.
Troopers also received 37 accident reports with 18 injuries, two of which were alcohol-related, he said.
Marianne Todd is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. E-mail her at mtodd@meridianstar.com.