WOODVILLE – A Wilkinson County resident died Thursday after the driver of his truck fell asleep at the wheel.

George Green, 56, 221 Old Lake Lane, died at the scene after being ejected from his 1990 Ford truck, said Staff Sgt. Errol Pierce, public relations officer for the Mississippi Highway Patrol.

Green was riding in the truck with Clarence Williams Jr., 47, 138 Jolla Lane, Woodville, who told troopers he fell asleep at the wheel on Mississippi 24 at about 10:34 a.m. and 10 miles west of Woodville, Pierce said. After entering a ditch he woke up and over compensated trying to get back on the road.

&uot;He just ran right off the road and back up in the road,&uot; Pierce said. &uot;The vehicle overturned several times.&uot;

Green was not wearing his seatbelt and the impact ejected him from the vehicle, Pierce said.

He landed about 10 feet from the vehicle which landed in the middle of the road on its side, Pierce said. This is the sixth fatality the Mississippi Highway Patrol has had in its local nine-county district in the past week.

&uot;The message is people have to be careful and mindful of things they are doing, and for goodness sakes, wear you seatbelt,&uot; Pierce said. &uot;I think if this man had been wearing his seatbelt he would have been alive today.&uot;

Williams received minor bruises, Pierce said.