Toddler killed after being run over in driveway

News Briefs From Across The State

By Monica Land

Family ran out of gas taking child to hospital

A Forrest County toddler is dead after being run over in a driveway near Hattiesburg.

Coroner Butch Benedict told The Hattiesburg American Alex Lewis Lott, who would have turned 2 in September, was killed when a vehicle backed over him around 3 p.m. Tuesday afternoon.

Benedict said Alex’s family gathered him up and attempted to rush him to Forrest General Hospital by private vehicle, but they ran out gas waiting at the intersection’s red light, WTVA reported.

Benedict said the child was pronounced dead later at the intersection of Elks Lake Road and U.S. Highway 49. He said the boy likely died instantly.

Officials probe body found in burning truck

Authorities are investigating a body found inside a burning truck on Mississippi 57 in McClain, just south of Interstate 10 in Jackson County.

WLOX reported that the body was discovered Wednesday, but investigators aren't releasing details other than to say it's being investigated as a homicide.

Oxford's Downtown Inn to be replaced

The owners of the Downtown Inn in Oxford say it will be demolished after football season and replaced with new hotel.

The Oxford Eagle reported that the Courthouse Square Preservation Commission voted Monday to allow the Chamblee Co., which owns the hotel, to demolish the exiting building and replace it with a four-story boutique hotel.

Architect Roger A. Pryor said the side of the footprint will be reduced 30 percent, while the green space and landscaping will be increased by 25 percent.

The hotel, which will be called The Oxford Hotel, will go from 100 rooms to 120 rooms.

However, Chamblee must still receive a height variance of 7 feet, 7 inches from the Oxford Planning Commission to create the fourth floor

Man dies in late night traffic accident

A Ripley man died as the result of a traffic accident Wednesday night near Ashland in Benton County.

Trooper Ray Hall with the Mississippi Highway Patrol says Michael S. Love, 55, died at the scene of the accident on Highway 370 near the Benton/Tippah County line.

Hall says it appears Love was driving a pickup heading east-bound on the highway when he apparently side-swiped a car driven by Kayla King, 24, of Ashland.

Love's truck then left the roadway and struck a utility pole. Hall said love was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the truck.

King was transported to the North Mississippi Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries/

A passenger in King's vehicle was airlifted to the MED in Memphis.

The accident remains under investigation.

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