Posted: August 20, 2015
A woman who was nearly hit by the wrong-way driver who was killed in Thursday's crash, spoke to FOX13 and told us she was on her way home when the car whizzed by her as it was traveling north in the southbound lanes.
"I was just traveling southbound coming home, an 18-wheeler in front of me, and it was slowing down so I was going to veer over to get over and it looked like lights were coming at me," Phyllis Locke described. "They were probably in the northbound lane, but then I realized that it was in my lane, the southbound lane, so then I got over. The car just whizzed by going about 100 miles per hour."
We do not yet know the circumstances that surround this deadly crash that killed Susan McDonald and her young daughter.
Stay with FOX13 both online and on-air as we work to bring you the latest details on this investigation.
Follow FOX13’s Earle Farrell on Facebook and Twitter.
UPDATE Thursday 11:49 a.m.:
Authorities have identified the woman killed in the wrong-way crash Thursday morning on I-55 in Hernando.
DeSoto County Sheriff Bill Rasco told FOX13 that Susan Overton of Jonesboro, Ark., was killed this morning in the crash, along with what is believed to be her nine-year-old daughter.
The child has yet to be identified.
The driver of the UPS tractor-trailer suffered minor injuries and was treated on scene. He was not hospitalized.
Investigators believe that the SUV was traveling north in the southbound lanes of I-55 at the time of the crash.
Stay with FOX13 for the latest on this investigation as it develops.
UPDATE Thursday 8:12 a.m.:
The mother and child who were killed in the wreck were from Arkansas, Sheriff Bill Rasco told FOX13.
The identity of the victims have not yet been released.
Investigators told FOX13 that the UPS driver tried to save the mother and her nine-year-old child after the crash.
Authorities continue to investigate what exactly happened.
What we know right now:
The woman and child were traveling in an SUV
The SUV was driving in the wrong direction on I-55 near Coldwater Bridge
This location is south of Hernando in DeSoto County, Miss.
The SUV hit a UPS tractor-trailer head-on
Both the SUV and the UPS truck caught fire
A woman and her nine-year-old child were killed
The driver of the UPS truck was uninjured
The woman and her child are from Arkansas, no word on what part of the state
No one in the accident has been identified at this time
Officials are on scene trying to figure out if anyone else was in the badly burned SUV
UPDATE 7:35 a.m.:
All lanes of I-55 in both directions are open in Hernando at Coldwater Bridge.
Authorities are still investigating the crash that killed a mother and her nine-year-old child.
It has not yet been determined if anyone else was found in the badly burned SUV.
The driver of the UPS truck has been accounted for. This driver's injuries are unknown at this time.
UPDATE 7:05 a.m.:
One lane of southbound I-55 in Hernando at Coldwater Bridge is open as authorities investigate this deadly crash.
All other lanes both southbound and northbound of I-55 remain closed.
FOX13's Earle Farrell has learned that a young mother and her nine-year-old child were killed in the wreck.
The UPS truck and the SUV that were involved in the accident are in the median.
Detours remain in place for all travelers.
As observed by our crew at the scene, the SUV and the UPS truck's trailer are completely destroyed.
UPDATE Thursday, 6:32 a.m.:
Emergency crews are on the scene of the crash on I-55 southbound at Coldwater Bridge in Hernando.
All lanes in both directions of the interstate at this location remain closed as authorities investigate the accident.
There are alternate routes in place for drivers headed in this direction.
We do not yet know if anyone else has been injured or killed as a result of this wreck.
(earlier)
A woman and child were killed in a fiery crash on I-55 southbound at Coldwater Bridge in DeSoto County.
The accident involved an passenger SUV and a UPS truck.
DeSoto County Sheriff Bill Rasco told FOX13 that the SUV was traveling the wrong way on the interstate when it collided with the UPS truck.
The SUV then burst into flames.
All lanes northbound and southbound at this location are closed.
Sheriff Rasco said there may be more people in the SUV who were killed as a result of this crash. He said they were burned beyond recognition.
FOX13 has a crew on the way to the scene and will bring you the latest updates throughout the morning on FOX13 News.
Stay with MyFoxMemphis and FOX13 for the latest on this investigation.