Two accident related fatalities occurred statewide over the Christmas holiday weekend on state and federal roads.

State and federal roads include all highways and intestates in Mississippi. Those roads are patrolled by the Mississippi Highway Patrol. In an effort to make those roads safer over the holidays MHP troopers, in addition to all local law enforcement departments, have been participating in the Drunk Driving, Over the Limit Under Arrest crackdown.

As part of that effort the MHP conducted road blocks and other patrols. Between noon on Christmas Eve and midnight Sunday the MHP reports that state wide 84 people were arrested for DUI. Also during that time troopers issued 6,039 citations statewide for varying driving violations, including seatbelt and child restraint violations, said Troop K Public Information Officer Johnny Poulos.

Within the Troop K District, which includes Pearl River, George, Stone, Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties, 590 traffic citations were written. In that same district five people were arrested for DUI.

State wide between those times there were 193 traffic accidents on state and federal roads. Of those accidents two were fatal while 34 involved injuries. One of those fatal accidents took place in the Hattiesburg area and the other took place in the Batesville area, Poulos said. He could not say if either of those accidents involved a Pearl River County resident.

Within the Troop K District there were 21 accidents with four injuries on state and federal roads. There were no fatalities reported in those accidents within the Troop K District.

A similar MHP operation will start on New Year’s Eve beginning at noon and carry through until Jan. 3, at midnight, Poulos said.