One dead in accident on Gibson at Lee

A Warren County man lost his life in a single vehicle accident on Gibson at Lee Road.

On Sunday, May 10, 2020 at 11:09 p.m., a call came into the E-911 call center by an eyewitness to the accident.

“He was going fast coming from that direction,” said the bewildered man, indicating the car was traveling east on Gibson. “Somehow he lost control, left the road and hit the tree, spun a bit and ended there. You just don’t think you’ll see something like that.”

A large number of rescuers worked to save the victim.

“I went over there and he was slumped in his seat. 911 was already on their way. They got here fast. Maybe two minutes, three tops.”

The older model gray Mercury Cougar was heavily damaged and mangled by the accident. Warren County Fire Coordinator Jerry Briggs, Fisher Ferry Fire Chief Mitch Lange and Warren County Sheriff’s deputies along with Vicksburg and Fisher Ferry firefighters worked almost 45 minutes to extricate the victim.

The roof of the vehicle was pried open by rescuers during the process.

Several family members showed up to the accident scene to discover their loved one had perished.

Warren County Deputy Coroner Kelda Bailess directed the process of recovering and releasing the body to the family. After the strenuous procedure of removing the body from the mangled vehicle, it took another 45 minutes to complete all the documentation of the accident scene. James Jefferson with W.H. Jefferson Funeral home removed the body for the family.

Two hours after the Mercury Cougar struck the tree, the scene was cleaned up, the vehicle was removed and the last of the bystanders had left.

The front of the vehicle was damaged to the point it was unrecognizable.

“If the tree hadn’t stopped him he would have ended up in the pond back there (just beyond the trees)” explained a witness to the accident.

The cause of the accident is under investigation. The Vicksburg Daily News will release the name of the victim once the family has been notified.