Witness: Car involved in U.S. 61 fatal wreck had lights off

Published 12:11 am Wednesday, March 12, 2014

NATCHEZ — As Mississippi Highway Patrol officials investigate a two-vehicle collision that killed one Natchez resident and injured several others, one motorist said he saw one of the vehicles involved with its headlights off.

Tyler Brumfield, 20, was driving a 2011 Nissan Sentra with his girlfriend, April Nikki Worthey, 20, in the passenger seat at approximately 7:40 p.m. Sunday, when Brumfield attempted to make a left turn onto Kingston Road.

Brumfield’s vehicle collided with a 2007 Toyota Avalon driven by Paula R. Campesi, 50, of Monroe, La., who was traveling northbound on U.S. 61.

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Brumfield was killed in the wreck, and Worthey sustained severe injuries. She was airlifted to Rapides Regional Medical Center, where she remained in the intensive care unit as of Tuesday evening.

Campesi was wearing a seat belt and was transported by ambulance to Natchez Regional Medical Center with major injuries.

A front-seat passenger in the Avalon, David Hayes of Monroe, was not wearing a seat belt and was taken to Natchez Regional with minor injuries.

A back-seat passenger in the Avalon, Gloria Browning of Ruston, La., was wearing a seat belt and was airlifted to Rapides Regional with severe injuries.

Joel Minter of Calhoun, La., said he was traveling northbound on U.S. 61 alongside the Avalon as well as a Cadillac Sunday and could see the Avalon didn’t have its headlights turned on.

Minter said he passed both vehicles and even attempted to flash his headlights to the Avalon in hopes of alerting the occupants they didn’t have their headlights on.

Minter eventually drove ahead of both vehicles and witnessed the collision in his rearview mirror.

Minter said he believed Brumfield saw the Cadillac’s headlights, which was behind the Avalon, and didn’t realize the Avalon was there.

“The next time I see somebody with their lights off, I will be more belligerent and ugly to them knowing they could likely kill someone,” Minter said.

Minter said he reported all his observations to the highway troopers working the accident.

Mississippi Highway Patrol Troop M Sgt. Rusty Boyd said the collision was still under investigation, but as of Monday evening no significant progress had been made.

Brumfield was an Adams County Christian School graduate and Copiah-Lincoln Community College student.

Members of the community gathered at the flagpole outside of ACCS Monday evening for a prayer vigil for those involved in the wreck.

Funeral services for Brumfield are set for 11 a.m. Thursday at McNeely Road Church of God.

Burial will follow at Greenlawn Memorial Park Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the church and from 10 a.m. until service time Thursday at the church.