Daily Journal
JACKSON – The Mississippi Highway Patrol issued more than 5,300 citations and worked two fatal wrecks statewide over the Thanksgiving holiday period.
While neither of the fatal wrecks was in northeast Mississippi, the three MHP patrol divisions that work the Daily Journal coverage area worked 53 wrecks over the five-day period, which began Wednesday evening and ended Sunday at midnight.
Across Mississippi, the MHP made 67 DUI arrests. Troop F, based in New Albany, had the most DUI arrests (13) as well as the most drug arrests (8). In addition to the traffic stops, the MHP SWAT team responded Friday to assist the Grenada Police Department with a hostage situation. On the same day, Troopers responded to Hattiesburg for assistance concerning an officer-involved shooting.
The two highway fatalities were in Leflore and Wayne counties. On Thanksgiving day around 1:15 a.m., a 2003 Lexus driven by Carnell Gardner, 42, of Itta Bena, left US 82, crossed the median and collided head-on with an 18-wheeler. Gardner was pronounced dead at the scene.
Sunday morning around 9, Michael Trau, 60, of Avon, Illinois, lost control his 2005 Chevy Trailblazer as it traveled north on US 45. The car overturned, ejecting passenger Amy Trau, 60, of Avon, Illinois, who was later pronounced dead at Wayne County General hospital.
Both crashes remain under investigation by the Mississippi Highway Patrol.