Emmarie Flaggs calls for change to curb accidents on Gibson Road

Loss of life in car accidents hits Emmarie Flaggs close to home. In 2017 she lost her cousin Reginald Flaggs to a wreck along Gibson Road.

Sunday, Patrick Taylor, 29, was killed in a car crash on the same road, and authorities believe speed played a part in the crash. The next day another accident occurred on Gibson but caused only minor injuries.

Flaggs, a Vicksburg native and daughter of Mayor George Flaggs Jr., has lived on Gibson Road for 12 years. Now, she is calling for a change to assist the Warren County Sheriff’s Office deal with the tragedies on her street.

“I’ve at least 12 accidents in front of my home,” Flaggs said. “Out of those 12 wrecks, I have assisted in at least 10 of them.”

Flaggs said one day a young lady flipped her car right in front of her yard and hit her mailbox where her daughter, who attends elementary school, often stands to wait for the school bus. She was blessed to be running late that day. Flaggs helped pull the driver out of that car, not her first time assisting in an accident.

”Sometimes I could smell the gas coming from the vehicles of the wrecks that I have witnessed,” Flaggs said.

Flaggs pointed out that the sheriff’s office does a good job patrolling on Gibson Road but is not equipped with the necessities to help stop speeding drivers — radar. She said one of main causes for wrecks on Gibson Road, where the speed limit is 35, is speeding.

By law, only the Mississippi Highway Patrol is authorized to use radar outside of cities. Inside cities like Vicksburg, police departments can use radar, but sheriff’s departments can’t use radar in the counties.

Earlier this year, a bill was introduced in the Mississippi Legislature to allow sheriff’s departments to use radar. The bill died as have similar bills in previous years.

Flaggs believes that this is a legislative issue, and to help equip deputies with what they need, she is willing to sit down with anybody who is willing to listen.

“I am willing to speak with anyone to help bring attention to this issue — whether it’s the board of supervisors, residents, law enforcement, state legislatures — to help come up with a plan to save lives,” Flaggs said.

Some residents have suggested installing speed bumps and caution lights to help slow drivers.

“I’ve witnessed drivers passing other cars on this road which prohibits that,” Flaggs said. “The reckless driving along Gibson road has gotten out of hand, and I would like to see people who have lost a loved one due to car accidents tell their story to help bring attention to this.”

She mentioned that she has the utmost respect for Sheriff Martin Pace and his deputies.

”When I call, they come,” Flaggs said.

She is looking forward to a round table discussion with local leaders to talk about the issues on Gibson Road.

If you are interested in assisting Flaggs with her Gibson Road project, please contact her on Facebook or by email at Emmarie.f.anderson@gmail.com.

Flaggs is a member of the Vicksburg NAACP Chapter where she has been helping people register to vote, including some convicted felons. She is also a member of the Vicksburg Alumni Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

Flaggs will be at the Jackson Street Gym Saturday, June 27, where she will be assisting with voter registration.