Top Sun Herald stories for April 17. Here’s Friday’s news in a minute (or two)
Top stories from the Sun Herald on April 17, 2026. Here’s what to know
Here are the top stories from the Sun Herald, covering crime, community loss, business news and more from across South Mississippi.
Here are key takeaways:
• New details have emerged about David Ray Wyrick, 59, who was fatally shot Thursday in an exchange of gunfire with Jackson County sheriff’s deputies and narcotics agents in Pascagoula. Wyrick had an extensive criminal history, including an involuntary manslaughter conviction in North Carolina and a 2025 arrest in South Florida on charges that included attempted manslaughter and aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer.
• Joseph Lasalandra, 79, of Ocean Springs died Friday morning after his pickup truck hit a concrete pylon on the Lamey Bridge Road exit off I-10 westbound. Harrison County Coroner Brian Switzer said Lasalandra may have experienced a medical emergency before the crash.
• Waveland is the latest Mississippi Coast city to land a Chick-fil-A, with the restaurant planned for 404 Highway 90 and an early 2027 opening. Mayor Jay Trapani said the restaurant typically creates 80 to 120 jobs.
• Community leaders are mourning the death of Karen Sock, 73, a Biloxi casino executive who became the nation’s first Black woman to lead a major casino company and co-founded the career exploration program Pathways2Possibilities.
• The Pascagoula baseball team honored junior pitcher Braylyn Knowles, 16, who died in an ATV accident in Mobile County. Teammate Sean Norvel wore Knowles’ white No. 4 jersey throughout the week and caught a ceremonial first pitch from Knowles’ father.
• With summer approaching, officials in Bay St. Louis and Ocean Springs are reminding residents about golf cart laws. Golf carts can only be driven on roads with speed limits of 25 mph or less in Bay St. Louis or 30 mph or less in Ocean Springs, and operators can be arrested for DUI.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.