Mississippi highways were particularly deadly this Labor Day holiday with the Mississippi Highway Patrol reporting 15 fatalities. Accidents were up across the state, including in Troop E jurisdiction that covers Panola County.

One of the fatal crashes had a Batesville connection. On Sunday, Sept. 1, a 2023 Subaru Crosstrek driven by Robert Noah of Jackson collided with a 2024 Jeep Wagoneer driven by 

Peaches McMurray of Batesville on Hwy. 7 In Grenada County. 

Both Noah, 18, and a passenger in the Wagoneer, Lizzie Tucker, 74, of Richmond, TX, were killed in the crash.

The Mississippi Highway Patrol started its holiday enforcement period on Friday and concluded at midnight on Monday.

During that time, troopers responded to seven fatal crashes that occurred in Grenada, Warren, Stone, Wilkinson, Prentiss and Issaquena counties. The crashes resulted in 15 deaths and 81 people injured.

During the same time period in 2023, there were four fatal crashes that resulted in four fatalities.

In the other fatal crashes:

• Six people on a bus were killed when it left the road and overturned in Warren County on Saturday. Another 36 passengers were injured.
• A Stone County woman was killed Saturday when the vehicle she was a passenger in left the road and overturned.
• On Monday in Wilkinson County a man was killed when the truck he was driving left the road and overturned.
• A father and son were killed when they were struck by a vehicle while driving at ATV from a private driveway onto Highway 365 in Prentiss County Monday. 
• Also on Monday,  in Issaquena County a multi-vehicle wreck resulted in the death of one man.

Troopers issued a total of 7,123 citations, responded to 155 crashes, made 122 arrests for impaired driving, and cited 740 motorists for occupant restraint violations. 

During the 2023 Labor Day holiday weekend, troopers issued 9,186 citations, responded to 147 crashes, made 141 arrests for impaired driving, and cited 698 motorists for occupant restraint violations.