STARKVILLE — Thursday morning, passing vehicles slowed to look at site of a fatal Wednesday crash, located 1 1/2 miles south of the Starkville corporate limit, between Palace Drive and Colony Drive. The car”s trunk rested against the tree line, while side view mirrors, a CD case and CDs were scattered throughout the weeds.
A single shoe sat on the side of ditch, along with tools and other personal belongings.
Officials believe a blown tire caused the crash, which took the lives of two Starkville men, Wednesday night.
The Oktibbeha County Sheriff”s Department Thursday released the names of the three Starkville men who were involved the single-vehicle wreck on South Montgomery Street.
Sheriff”s Department Chief Deputy George Carrithers identified two victims as 22-year-old Lamario Stallings, of 154D Park Drive, and 50-year-old Freddie McClinton, of 1190 Rockhill Road. Both Stallings and McClinton were pronounced dead at the scene, Oktibbeha County Coroner Michael Hunt said.
A third man in the vehicle, 24-year-old Derrick Smith, of 111 Tabor St., was transported to OCH Regional Medical Center, where he was treated and released, Hunt said.
Stallings was driving a black 1997 Honda south on South Montgomery just after 9:30 p.m. Wednesday when it appears a tire blew out, which caused the car to cross the center line and veer off the east side of the road, Carrithers said. The vehicle went into a ditch and struck a utility pole before coming to a halt upside down.
Stallings and McClinton, who was sitting in the back seat, were thrown from the vehicle and were pronounced dead at approximately 10:30 p.m., Hunt said. Smith was in the front passenger seat and was not thrown, but crawled out of the vehicle, Hunt said.
None of the men appeared to have been wearing seat belts, Hunt said.
It is unclear if drugs or alcohol played a factor in the wreck, Carrithers said.
“The investigation is ongoing,” he said.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 43 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.