Leeville woman killed after being hit by train

News Briefs From Across The State

By Monica Land

Woman was likely intoxicated

A woman from the Leeville community was pronounced dead at the scene after being struck by a train Tuesday night.

Forrest County Deputy Coroner Jonathan Nobles said the body of Carolyn Ann Spiers, 48, has been sent to the state crime lab for an autopsy.

On June 5, Spiers was struck at about 10:30 p.m. just north of the Leeville Road crossing while on foot.

Nobles said it is unclear as to what she was doing on the tracks, but that alcohol likely played a factor in the accident.

He said her preliminary autopsy results should be complete this week.

Woman and dog killed in mobile home fire

An investigation continues into the cause of a mobile home fire in Walls that killed a 54-year-old woman and one of her two dogs.

The Commercial Appeal reports the body of Brenda Joyce Borden was found inside her mobile home after firefighters gained control of the blaze early Sunday morning.

DeSoto County Coroner Jeff Pounders says he sent Borden’s body to the state medical examiner’s office in Jackson for an autopsy.

Authorities said the home at the Lakeview Trailer Park was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived at the scene.

The DeSoto County Fire Marshal’s Office and the state fire marshal’s office are investigating the blaze.

Forrest County man killed in wreck

A Forrest County man was killed in a single-vehicle accident Monday, May 28. Forrest County Deputy Coroner Jonathan Nobles said Rashad Shepherd, 21, of the McLaurin area died when his vehicle struck a tree at about 6 p.m.

“We’re not suspecting alcohol – speed was a factor,” Nobles said.

Shepherd was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident.

Nobles said he ran a stop sign at the intersection of Churchwell Road and J B Horne Road, hit a tree on the other side and died from head trauma sustained in the accident.

He said an autopsy is not planned for Shepherd.

Alcorn State seeks to raise funds for improvements

Alcorn State University is going on a major capital fundraising campaign. That’s according to President Christopher Brown. “We must keep our students in the classroom and build a campus infrastructure to sustain our growth,” Brown said.

The Clarion-Ledger reports that Brown was in California recently meeting with potential donors interested in helping the historically black university grow.

The university said it was in the process of establishing campaign goals.