Six occupants of a Chevrolet Tahoe — ages 5, 6, 11, 16, 17 and 20, according to an official — were injured when their vehicle reportedly struck the rear of a Tallahatchie County Road Department Mack gravel truck shortly before 4 p.m. Monday.
Four of the occupants were airlifted from the scene by four helicopters while two were transported by ambulance. At least some of the injured were bound for The Med in Memphis, the extent of their injuries not immediately known.
Lincoln Smith, the reported driver of the county vehicle, said he was eastbound on Highway 32 Central and had slowed to turn right into the parking lot of the road department's central maintenance facility when he observed the Tahoe approaching rapidly from behind.
“I tried to get out of the way but I couldn’t,” he noted. Smith was uninjured, and the only visible evidence that his big rig had been in an accident was a little paint from the white Tahoe on its rear bumper.
The Tahoe, bearing a Tallahatchie County license plate, apparently swerved in an attempt to miss the Mack but struck the big truck with its passenger side before rolling and landing on its cab.
Charleston Fire and Rescue officials and other first responders had to utilize hydraulic cutters to free at least one of the occupants from the wreckage.
Both lanes of Highway 32 were closed for more than an hour due to the accident.
IN THE PHOTO: Rescue workers rush an injured child to a waiting ambulance after Monday afternoon’s SUV-Mack truck accident west of Charleston. (Photo by Clay McFerrin)
