Fatal wrecks on Tucker Road in Latimer cause folks to lobby for more streetlights

LATIMER, Miss. (WLOX) - After two wrecks on Tucker Road in Latimer claimed the lives of two people, those familiar with the area are now lobbying for more streetlights.

Local businesses off of the road said more safety measures should be put in place to avoid any more accidents.

Cody Tyner has worked T&N Feed and Pet Supplies most of his life. The store is just off Tucker Road where he sees several cars travel back and forth.

“During the day, it’s just people constantly walking and riding bikes,” Tyner said.

He said between the pedestrians and vehicles, he’s seen too many close calls.

“We need more streetlights. When I travel this road at night, I have my brights on, but this stretch from here to the Dollar General, it’s just pitch black,” he said.

Tyner said due to lack of lighting on the road, he even had a close call himself.

“We were driving at night with our brights on and we still almost hit somebody in the road out here. He had on all black and was in roller blades, I think. It scared the daylights out of us,” he said.

Tyner said the mix of cars speeding, no streetlights and non-reflective clothing is just a disaster waiting to happen.

According to the Gulf Regional Planning Commission, the average daily traffic count in 2019 south of the road was 8,600.

In recent weeks, authorities said there were two separate accidents of a bicyclist and a pedestrian being hit and killed on the road.

“It’s awful because you kind of feel like maybe there is something they could do like a bike lane, sidewalk, streetlight, something to just try to help,” Tyner said.

However, officials said the county would have to get accident reports from the sheriff’s department first. In the meantime, Tyner said he’s made some phone calls.

“We do have a friend that is a state trooper that’s been out here to monitor the roads to help out,” he said.

Tyner recommends cars to slow down and pedestrians to have a buddy system.

He said safety is the top priority so that fatal accidents can be avoided.

“You know we’re all on the road, we all share the road. They have as much right to the road as we do. I would like to see them protected,” Tyner said.

So far, no charges have been filed against the driver involved in the bicyclist accident.

If you have any information that could help, call the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department at (228) 769-3063.

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