Officials: Roads, highways remain dangerous for travel

Published 5:41 pm Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat — An 18-wheeler that was stranded on Seargent S. Prentiss Drive is guided to safety on the icy highway.

Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat — An 18-wheeler that was stranded on Seargent S. Prentiss Drive is guided to safety on the icy highway.

NATCHEZ — Icy road conditions had drivers slipping, sliding and stranded in the Miss-Lou Tuesday.

Area law enforcement agencies reported their officers and deputies assisted several motorists who had slid off the road or could not get enough traction to move.

Click here for a list of weather-related closures for Wednesday

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Adams County Sheriff Chuck Mayfield issued a curfew for all non-emergency travel from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Mayfield said Tuesday afternoon deputies assisted 18-wheelers who could not get enough traction to make the turn off John R. Junkin Drive onto Seargent S. Prentiss Drive near Natchez Regional Medical Center.

Natchez Police Captain Tom McGehee said officers assisted several motorists — seven as of 2 p.m. — who had slid off the road or were stuck on ice on Seargent S. Prentiss Drive, John R. Junkin Drive, South Canal Street, D’Evereux Drive and other roads.

Vidalia Police Chief Arthur Lewis urged all residents to stay off the roads as much as possible.

Mississippi Highway Patrol Troop M Sgt. Rusty Boyd said MHP worked four vehicle collisions and a dozen other incidents in District 9, which covers Adams, Jefferson, Wilkinson, Franklin, Amite, Pike, Lincoln, Lawrence and Walthall counties.

According to the National Weather Service approximately an inch and half of snow and sleet fell in Natchez on Tuesday.

Weber said the Natchez area would not see any more precipitation until the weekend, which will be rain.