A few package deliveries in the area were delayed after a UPS 18-wheeler rolled on its side in a single-vehicle accident Friday morning. Southbound traffic on Interstate 59 at the 10-mile marker was reportedly blocked for over two hours after the 18-wheeler flipped on its side, blocking all lanes of traffic, Mississippi Highway Patrol Troop K Public Affairs Officer Chase Elkins said.
The accident occurred as the driver, Leon Williams, 53, of Kentwood, Louisiana, began veering off the right side of the road and overcorrected, Elkins said. Williams then lost control of the 18-wheeler, causing it to flip on its right side, blocking all lanes of traffic as it sat on the southbound lane of traffic the interstate.
McNeill and Carriere Volunteer Fire Departments responded to the accident along with Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department and MHP deputies to extricate the driver and clear the highway as quickly as possible. Williams did not report any major injuries. Because the 18-wheeler was still drivable after it was righted, a couple of officers and firefighters escorted the truck off the highway and into a neighboring truck stop.
Elkins said the interstate is now clear.