Gazebo Gazette
A fatal accident in Harrison County Sunday afternoon took two lives, including a decorated, law enforcement officer. St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Department Corporal Jonathan Panks was pronounced dead at Garden Park Medical Center in Gulfport after being transported by American Medical Response (AMR).
According to the Harrison County Deputy Coroner Brian Switzer, a call came in at 1:07pm after witnesses saw a motorist driving a Toyota Camry that struck a Chevy Silverado head-on while driving erratically eastbound on Interstate 10 at mile marker 23 near Menge Avenue in Pass Christian.
Corporal Panks was driving the Silverado with three other passengers. Both drivers were killed while the passengers were transported to local hospitals. One passenger was later life-flighted to University of South Alabama Medical Center in Mobile and was listed critical.
Switzer confirmed that both drivers were wearing seat belts at the time of the collision. The Deputy Coroner said the driver of the Toyota Camry pronounced dead at the scene was a 36 year old man from Violet, Louisiana. His identification will be released pending family notification.
Officials from Harrison County Fire & Rescue, the Pass Christian Fire Department, CRTC (Airport) Fire, and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department assisted the Mississippi State Highway Patrol at the accident.
