Mississippi Highway Patrol releases July 4 travel enforcement period report

MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – The Mississippi Highway Patrol issued fewer tickets but reported more fatalities this July 4 Holiday compared to last year.

The 2023 Independence Day Holiday Travel Enforcement Period only ran two days this year, from 6 a.m. Monday until Midnight Tuesday.

During that time, State Troopers wrote over 4,400 tickets and made 49 arrests for impaired driving. They also cited 508 drivers for seatbelt and restraint violations.

MHP investigated 76 crashes. Four of those resulted in fatalities.

Two of those fatal crashes were in the WCBI viewing area.

The first happened Monday night in Chickasaw County when a motorcycle driven by 50-year-old Christopher Mooneyham collided with a car on Highway 15 near County Road 405. Mooneyham died at the scene.

Tuesday morning a Toyota driven by Vernon Williams of Memphis ran off the road on Highway 371 in Itawamba County and rolled over several times.

Williams was taken to NMMC in Tupelo but died from his injuries.

The other fatal crashes were in Panola and Marion Counties.

Last year’s Enforcement Period was five days long, but Troopers only worked one fatality in that period.

Official MHP report: 2023 Independence Holiday Concluded

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