A two-vehicle collision early Saturday claimed the life of one driver and injured the other early Saturday morning at the intersection of Highway 25 and Longview Road in Oktibbeha County.
Mississippi Highway Patrol officers responded to the scene at about 2:30 a.m. after a silver Toyota Camry traveling north on Highway 25 collided with a white Toyota RAV 4 traveling west through the intersection.
The driver of the RAV 4, Richard C. Ochoa, 30, of Pearl was not wearing a seatbelt and died instantly after being thrown from the vehicle, according to Oktibbeha Coroner Michael Hunt.
An MHP press release said Jackson resident Jamarkus Pendleton, 22, the driver of the Camry, suffered non-life-threatening injuries. MHP Master Sgt. Criss Turnipseed said Pendleton was treated at OCH Regional Medical Center and has been released.
Turnipseed said signal lights had been installed on stop signs for east- and westbound traffic at the intersection due to its high rate of accidents.
The collision remains under investigation, Turnipseed said.
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