Fatal Head-On Crash on I-55 in Copiah County Kills Patient, Injures Pafford EMS Crew

The ambulance was transporting:

• Michael Hawkins, 65, of Natchez, Mississippi — pronounced dead at the scene.
• EMT Joe Case, 48, of Brookhaven — airlifted to the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
• EMT Jonathan Harveston, 23, of Vidalia, Louisiana — taken by ambulance to UMMC.

Powell was also transported to UMMC. The current condition of all hospitalized individuals has not been released.

The Mississippi Highway Patrol is leading the crash investigation. Charges against Powell are pending as authorities examine the circumstances of the wrong-way travel.

Mississippi Wrong-Way & Head-On Crash Statistics

Wrong-Way and Head-On Crashes in Mississippi

Wrong-way collisions like this one are rare but disproportionately deadly. The National Transportation Safety Board has found that wrong-way crashes are far more likely to result in a fatality than other types of highway collisions, largely because they tend to happen at high speed and involve a head-on impact. Mississippi’s rural interstates — including stretches of I-55 through Copiah County — see a steady number of serious and fatal crashes each year, often linked to impaired, fatigued, or disoriented drivers entering the highway going the wrong direction. This crash is a reminder of how quickly a routine drive, or in this case a medical transport, can turn catastrophic.

Who Can Be Held Liable in This Crash

Determining Liability in the I-55 Wrong-Way Crash

Under Mississippi law, a driver who travels the wrong way on a divided highway can be found negligent per se if their conduct violated traffic statutes, which can significantly strengthen a civil claim regardless of the outcome of any criminal charges. Liability in a case like this typically depends on what caused Mr. Powell to be driving south in the northbound lanes — whether impairment, fatigue, a medical event, distraction, or a wrong-way entry at an interchange. Mississippi Highway Patrol’s investigation, along with the crash report, black box data, and toxicology results (if applicable), will be central to establishing fault. Because Mississippi follows a pure comparative negligence rule, an injured party can still recover damages even if they are found partially at fault, though their recovery is reduced by their percentage of fault

This tragic crash underscores the dangers of wrong-way driving and serious highway collisions. Our hearts go out to the family of Mr. Hawkins and to the injured EMTs as they recover.

Wrongful Death Claims After a Fatal Mississippi Car Accident

Under Mississippi’s wrongful death statute (Miss. Code Ann. § 11-7-13), the surviving spouse, children, or other statutory heirs of Michael Hawkins may be entitled to pursue a wrongful death claim against the at-fault driver. Mississippi law allows recovery for damages including loss of companionship and society, funeral and burial expenses, medical expenses incurred before death, and the decedent’s pain and suffering. Wrongful death claims in Mississippi are generally subject to a three-year statute of limitations, though certain circumstances can shorten or extend that window, which is why families are encouraged to speak with an attorney as soon as possible after a loss like this.

What Injured EMS Crew Members Should Know

Joe Case and Jonathan Harveston were on duty when the ambulance was struck, which means their situation involves two separate but related legal paths. First, because they were injured while working, they are likely entitled to Mississippi workers’ compensation benefits from their employer to cover medical treatment and lost wages, regardless of fault. Second, because their injuries were caused by a third party — the driver who entered the highway the wrong way — they may also be able to bring a separate third-party personal injury claim against that driver in addition to their workers’ compensation benefits. This combination of a workers’ comp claim and a third-party liability claim can significantly increase the total compensation available to an injured worker, and it’s an area our firm has extensive experience navigating for first responders, healthcare workers, and other Mississippians hurt on the job by a negligent driver.