Video: Deadly Lowndes County Intersection

[bitsontherun 0veXLfGB]

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The weekend death of an elderly motorist at the intersection of Highway 45 Alternate and Tarleton Road near Crawford is once again bringing attention to what some say is a dangerous location.

Motorists traveling and making stops at this intersection in Lowndes County are well aware of the potential for having a bad wreck.

“I know we’ve had three pretty major accidents here in the last month and a half,” said Criss Turnipseed, Ms Highway Patrol Troop G.

“One with a motorcycle accident, one with a car and a van. And two other cars,” said Demontrel Cunningham, Lowndes County.

The accident at the intersection for 89-year-old Columbus motorist Constance Johnson was a fatal one. After an accident Sunday, she suffered a heart attack while being treated for her injuries.

“When I was riding yesterday heading to my friend’s crib, when I pulled up on the scene I seen a lot of police and state troopers and everything like that,” said Sidney Hairston, Lowndes County Motorist.

William McCarter’s relative was critically injured at the intersection, but did survive. So did the people who were riding in a van that collided with a Nissan Altima and then flipped three times. Many motorists we spoke with say visibility is not always good at that location.

“Man it, it’s kind of rough. You can’t see over that hill. there,” said McCarter.

Authorities have looked at the crossing and whether the sun plays a role in blinding motorists in the afternoon. But state troopers say safe driving tips are the key to avoiding accidents.

“You know when you come to an intersection you just need to pay attention. First of all you need to stop your car and look both ways. And then look more than once because a vehicle approaching you might be in your blind spot,” said Turnipseed.

According to MDOT, between 49 hundred to five thousand vehicles travel at or near the intersection of Tarleton Road and Alternate 45 on a daily basis.