A deadly accident occurred in D’Iberville, MS late last week when a tractor-trailer crossed I-10 and collided with an oncoming passenger vehicle. The force of the head-on collision resulted in the death of both drivers.
According to the police reports, the accident occurred just after 6 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. Donald Lockhart was driving his big rig along I-10 when he lost control of his truck and slammed into Kevin Benefield’s car. The accident scene was grisly and both men died at the scene of the crash.
Police investigators say they were initially unsure of the cause of the accident, but a recent report by the Jackson County coroner has revealed the source of the trouble. According to Coroner Vicki Broadus, Lockhart (the driver of the tractor-trailer) was suffering from a medical problem that caused him to lose control of the vehicle. Lockhart would not say specifically what the problem was, but did reveal that it was the medical condition that resulted in Lockhart’s death, not the injuries from the crash.
Benefield was a much-loved music teacher from Pascagoula where he lived with his wife. Many members of the community have come forward with messages of condolence for Benefield’s family, saying how much the man touched their lives.
Sadly, accidents like this one involving medical conditions are not as rare as many people might believe. According to experts, between three and five percent of all fatal accidents are medically related. In many cases, there is no way to avoid the accident, with conditions such as heart attacks coming on quickly and often without warning.
While there is little that can be done about emergency medical conditions, experts do point out that some fatal accidents result from untreated, but known, medical problems. For example, those suffering from unmanaged diabetes have been known to fall into diabetic comas or suddenly go blind behind the wheel. In other cases, epileptics or those suffering from recurring seizures drive even though they shouldn’t, jeopardizing the lives of innocent motorists around them.
Anyone who is suffering from a potentially debilitating medical condition need to be conscious of the serious impact their condition might have on others. If you have diabetes or suffer from seizures, it is critical that you take the steps needed to protect your heath so that you remain alert while operating a vehicle.
If you have been injured in a Mississippi car, motorcycle or tractor-trailer accident and think you may have a personal injury claim, please contact the Mississippi personal injury attorneys at Kilpatrick & Philley at 601-707-4669.
Source: “La, Miss drivers dead in wreck of tank truck, car,” by, published at WLOX.com.
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