DEADLY WEATHER: In the above photo, Icy road conditions claimed the lives of three Picayune residents on Friday evening, leaving the U.S. Highway 11 and Boley Creek Bridge closed until early Saturday morning while responders processed the scene and cleared debris from the three car collision.
Photo by Jodi Marze

Icy bridge conditions, which included black ice, contributed to numerous traffic accidents as well as to the death of three people in a three-car pile up on Friday. All fatalities involved the driver and passengers of one vehicle.

“At 18:38 police were dispatched to an accident on U.S. Highway 11 North and Boley Creek Bridge involving three vehicles,” Jeremy Magri, assistant to the chief said. “Upon the officers’ arrival, two adults identified as Freddie Berrage, 50-years-of-age and Danielle Moye, 32-years-of-age were declared dead at the scene.

Pearl River County Coroner Derek Turnage said the cause of death appeared to be blunt-force trauma.

Two juvenile passengers of the vehicle were transported to Highland Community Hospital, Magri said.

“Elijah Moye, 8-years-of-age and Jeremiah Moye, four-years-of-age, were transported to Highland Community Hospital, where Elijah Moye was later pronounced deceased,” Magri said. “Jeremiah was airlifted to University Medical Center in Jackson.”

Magri said it was determined that Berrage was traveling north and due to weather conditions which caused the bridge to ice up, lost control of his vehicle and struck another vehicle that was traveling south. “Berrage’s vehicle slid sideways into the oncoming southbound lane. At this time the third vehicle that was also traveling northbound became involved in the collision,” Magri said.

The Picayune Police Department reports approximately 15 accidents involving 23 vehicles occurred that night due to the icy road conditions.

Chief Bryan Dawsey strongly urges drivers to stay off of the roadway over the next two days and to prepare for the forecasted return of the hazardous conditions.

“We do not need situations where sight seeing people end up becoming part of an emergency call or hindering us when we are trying to respond to an emergency call,” Magri said. “If you do not need to be on the road, for your own safety stay home.”

In a late breaking update, Jeremiah Moye has been recently listed as in stable condition.

“I know there have been rumors to the contrary, but so far he is making it,” Turnage said.

Turnage also added that in addition to staying off of hazardous roads and bridges, to remember the elderly and make sure that they have appropriate heating and are cared for throughout this winter storm.