Jackson County crash kills one, sends MDOT employee to hospital in critical condition

A 66-year-old Lucedale man died Thursday after crashing into the back of another vehicle on U.S. 63 around 1:20 p.m., a state trooper said.

The Mississippi Highway Patrol is investigating the Jackson County crash near U.S. 614 that also sent a man to a hospital with injuries, MHP spokesman Chase Elkins said in a press release.

Elkins said the Lucedale man, who has not been identified, lost control of his 2017 Nissan Sentra and went off the road. The Nissan crashed into the back of an unoccupied Mississippi Department of Transportation bucket truck that was parked on the side of the road with emergency lights on. An MDOT employee was outside of his truck attempting to get into the bucket when the vehicle was hit, Elkins said.

The driver of the Nissan was pronounced dead at the scene from injuries sustained in the crash, Elkins said. He was not wearing a seatbelt.

The MDOT employee, a 62-year-old Petal man, was transported to University of South Alabama in critical condition.

The crash is under investigation.

This story was originally published November 29, 2017 at 5:09 PM with the headline "Jackson County crash kills one, sends MDOT employee to hospital in critical condition."