A Poplarville Fire Department owned vehicle was damaged while sitting in the department parking lot Thursday when a vehicle veered off the road and hit the parked emergency response vehicle.

Fire Chief Jason Bannister found the vehicle with two people who appeared to be passed out in it around lunch time at approximately 12:33 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 12. He attempted to wake them up and reached into the vehicle to remove the keys. Bannister noticed that the white truck had struck the city-owned vehicle in the parking lot.

Poplarville Police Chief Danny Collier said that neither the driver or passenger had IDs, but gave the police officers their names and dates of birth. Triple AAA ambulance also responded.

The driver Anthony W. Hatten, 33, of 89 Floyd Stricklen Road, Ellisville, Miss., said he did not know how he got to the fire department parking lot and did not realize that he had hit the department vehicle. Hatten was charged with destruction of public property and possession of marijuana.

The passenger, Amber L. Thompson, 31, of 1317 Highway 178 East, New Albany, Miss., was also charged with possession of marijuana.

On Saturday, Nov. 14, there was a hit and run involving a pedestrian in Poplarville. At approximately 9:27 a.m., officers were dispatched to Highway 11 near Sarah’s Market in reference to the hit and run, said Collier.

A woman on the east roadway had an injury to her hand and a laceration to her right outside thigh. A witness stated that a black Mercury Grand Marquis swerved and hit a sign, then the driver got out of the vehicle, moved the sign and left the scene, while the woman who was hit by the vehicle lay on the side of the road injured.

The victim was transported to a hospital in Hattiesburg.

The driver, Kyra Dominic Bowen, 24, of 791 Lavar Ladner Rd., Lumberton, Miss., was located along with the vehicle at approximately 2:40 p.m. the same day in the Whitesand area.

Bowen stated she knew she hit a sign, but did not realize she hit a person.
She was arrested for leaving the scene of an accident with injuries.