Vicksburg man dies in Issaquena crash

ISSAQUENA COUNTY, Miss. (VDN) — One person has died as a result of a single-vehicle accident early Thursday on U.S. Highway 61 in Issaquena County, just before the Warren County line.

According to the Mississippi Highway Patrol, a 2007 Toyota Sequoia was traveling southbound at about 3:40 a.m. when the vehicle left the roadway, lost control and overturned into a ditch. Four people were inside the SUV.

Troopers confirmed that one of the passengers, Louis Qualls, 58, of Vicksburg, died at the scene.

The driver, Demond Qualls, 24, of Greenville, and another passenger, Thomas Mitchell, 24, of Greenville, were transported by ambulance to Merit Health River Region in Vicksburg. A third passenger, Kevin Lawrence, 23, of Vicksburg, was airlifted by Air Care to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. The extent of their injuries was not immediately known.

The highway was shut down for a period of time to allow the medical helicopter to land on the roadway.

Units from Vicksburg and Warren County responded to the crash scene following a request for assistance from Magnolia Ambulance. Responding personnel included Vicksburg Fire Chief Trey Martin, Warren County FireBoss Jerry Briggs, Carl McCafrey and Hayden McDougal.

Mississippi Highway Patrol is handling the investigation.