Daily Journal
BOONEVILLE – A two-vehicle wreck on U.S. 45 in Prentiss County on Saturday afternoon claimed the life of a Booneville teen and injured six others.
Mississippi Highway Patrol troopers responded to the scene at the intersection of U.S. 45 and County Road 7000 at approximately 12:35 p.m.
Lauren Bearden, 26, of Booneville, was traveling west in a 1999 Chevrolet Silverado and attempting to cross U.S. 45 when she apparently pulled into the path of a southbound 1999 Toyota 4-Runner driven by Roger Vanderford, 49, of Rienzi.
Bearden was transported to a Baptist Hospital in Booneville, where she was treated and released with minor injuries.
Two teens and one child were passengers in Bearden’s vehicle. A 5-year-old and one of the teens were taken to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis. They both sustained serious injuries in the wreck.
Jake Garvin, 15, of Booneville, died on the scene from injuries suffered in the crash.
MHP Sgt. Ray Hall said it did not appear that any of the passengers in Bearden’s vehicle were wearing a seatbelt.
Vanderford received moderate injuries from the crash and was airlifted to North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo.
Two other passengers were in Vanderford’s vehicle and sustained serious injuries from the wreck.
Courtney Vanderford, 20, of Rienzi, was airlifted to the Regional Medical Center at Memphis with serious injuries. A teen in Vanderford’s vehicle was transported to NMMC in Tupelo and later transferred to LeBonheur with serious injuries.
Three helicopters responded to the scene, and U.S. 45 was temporary closed until rescue crews could attend to the patients in the crash.
Hall said the MHP is still investigating the wreck.