A two-vehicle head-on collision that occurred just after midnight on July 21 along Highway 53 took the lives of four people and critically injured three.

Pearl River County Coroner Derek Turnage said that the accident occurred at the Savannah curve along Highway 53 that night just after midnight.

According to a press release from the Mississippi Highway Patrol, the collision occurred at 12:30 that morning when a northbound 2015 Chevrolet Sonic, occupied by six people, crossed the center line into the path of a southbound 2006 Chevrolet Silverado. The vehicles collided head-on.

Emergency personnel responded to find that three children and an adult in the Sonic had passed away.  The driver, 30-year-old Julisha Poole of Gulfport, and rear driver’s side passenger, 12-year-old Vakhia Abrams, were transported to Forrest General Hospital for treatment of critical injuries, according to the release. The occupants of the Sonic who passed away have been identified as 46-year-old Phenicia Chambers, 11-year-old Sa’Mya Magee, 11-year-old Me’Ori Sanjaya Le’Gier and 5-year-old Bryson Poole, Turnage said. The driver of the Silverado, 39-year-old Tara Cox, of Perkinston was transported to Forrest General Hospital as well for treatment of critical injuries, the release states. There were no other occupants in that vehicle. According to the release, none of the occupants in the Sonic were wearing a seatbelt.  The driver of the Silverado was wearing a seatbelt, the MHP release states.

A GoFundMe account has been set up to take donations for the family at https://www.gofundme.com/Poole-Family-Memorial.