Source: WLBT
Source: WLBT
Source: WLBT
VICKSBURG, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
A log truck and minivan collided killing one person Monday afternoon in Vicksburg. Several inside the passenger vehicle were seriously injured, including two children.
The badly mangled minivan was carrying five people when it crossed into the path of a fully loaded log truck around three o'clock, according to investigators.
"Several of them were trapped in the van, said Vicksburg Police Chief Walter Armstrong. "We had to use the jaws of life to free them." said,".
The truck was heading north on Highway 61 when investigators said the van entered the roadway from Washington Street. Killed in the collision was 63 year old Mary Wright of Warren County.
The driver of the van, 32 year old Danielle Johnson of Vicksburg, was airlifted to UMMC.
Seventy year old Bertha Mixon of Vicksburg and a seven and eight year old were taken to River Region. The truck driver, 53 year old Michael L Davis of Oakdale, was also taken to River Region. Their conditions are not known at this time.
"A lot of vehicles cross over Highway 61 from Washington street onto 61," added Chief Armstrong. "Of course when they do that they have to cross the path of traffic, and that's what happened when this van came across 61 highway."
Jimmy Lewis was in his mechanic shop downtown when he saw fire trucks and arrived to see Johnson being loaded into the helicopter.
He knows first hand the dangers of maneuvering the busy intersection.
"Some come off that hill pretty fast but a lot of them do the speed limit down that hill and you coming down that hill with a load," said Vicksburg business owner Jimmy Lewis. "I used to drive trucks 20 something years and you come off that hill with a loaded truck it's just no way you can stop when somebody pulls out in front of you down here."
At one point witnesses said the silver van came to rest on its side after the impact. That's when we are told several motorists stopped to try to render aid to those who were trapped.
That accident backed up traffic for about two hours on Highway 61.
MDOT is also investigating.