5 injured in crash on I-55

CANTON - The Mississippi Highway Patrol is still investigating the cause of a Tuesday crash on the southbound lane of I-55 just north of Canton that sent five people to hospital.

Sgt. Kervin Stewart, spokesman for MHP Troop C, said the two-vehicle crash occurred around 10:10 a.m. Tuesday near mile marker 124.

Preliminary reports indicate that a Ford F-350 was traveling south in the left-hand lane when it experienced a blowout, causing the driver to lose control and collide with a south bound Chevrolet Silverado in the right-hand lane.

Both vehicles came to rest on the southbound side where the F-350 hit several trees. Stewart said that the Silverado was pinned to the F-350 when emergency response vehicles arrived on the scene. 

The four occupants of the Silverado were transported to University Mississippi Medical Center with serious injuries. The driver was the lone occupant of the F-350. He was evacuated by helicopter and taken to UMMC in Jackson with life-threatening injuries. An update on his status was not available as of press time Wednesday.

The crash resulted in the closure of both south-bound lanes for nearly an hour, according to reports from motorists.