On Monday, May 23, 2022, eleven people's families got some of the scariest calls you could ever get. Your son, daughter, mother, brother was involved in a high speed, 6 vehicle, car crash involving a log truck that ran out of gas crossing the north bound side of HWY 45. Two of those vehicles struck the broad side of the log truck doing anywhere from 55-65 mph. Why did they hit it going so fast? Why couldn't they see the truck? Aren't there any street lights? Why are there no signs? Why are there no slower speed zones? Why are there no flashing signs that signal a dangerous intersection ahead? We want to know also. My son, his girlfriend, another young man and 9 other people are asking the same questions with broken arms, broken legs, and broken hands and many more injuries. We were told by more than one officer that night and after that when they arrived on the scene they were not expecting mild injuries and possibly no survivors. This is what we had to wonder as we made our way to our loved ones. 

As you approach the City of Guntown on MS HWY 45 north there is a "new" intersection of highway. It is the entrance to a new fitness center, market, and truck stop/gas station. It's private drive connects directly to HWY 45. There are zero street lights lighting up that area. It has 4 lanes of traffic 2 north bound and two south bound divided by a grass median. There is a cross-over section to allow entrance from the south bound lanes of HWY 45 to cross the 2 north bound lanes of traffic where the speed limit is 65 mph on both sides. 

When traveling north bound in that area before you get to the crossover and entrance to BAM Fitness/Market there is a slight hill and curve. There is no signage letting you know that there is an intersection coming up. There are ZERO street lights on either side of the highway or in the crossover area of the median so someone can see that area clearly at night time should a vehicle go dead while trying to cross the north bound lanes to enter or exit Bam Fitness/Market. 

Due to the location being jurisdiction of Mississippi Dept. of Transportation the City of Guntown and they owners of Bam Fitness/Market are not allowed to install any sort of signs or lighting, but when questioned about the addition of safety signs, slower zones, traffic lights, yellow flashing warning lights or flashing signs, all of them are told that 1. there has to be a certain number of accidents with serious injuries or deaths before they will, and 2. there isn't enough money until those things happen. 

After speaking to an “official” of the law about the matter, my family found out that there is one group of people that can allocate money to be used for this intersection's safety equipment, that is COVID-19 relief money sent to the state of Mississippi. They are just sitting on the majority of it and only the legislature, your state representatives and state senators,  can vote to allocate some of those funds to the Mississippi Dept. of Transportation to directly fix the safety issue in the Guntown, MS area of HWY 45. That spot isn't the only death trap in the Guntown area of the highway. There are two others less than half a mile up the road. 

What is my family and the other victims injured and involved in the wreck asking you to do? Please contact your state representative and Senator and plead with them to use some of this money to make this area of HWY 45 in Guntown, MS safer. Then sign this petition. Please make sure you use your real name, address, phone number, and email address. 

You do not need to be from Guntown. If you travel this road, this applies to you. Because it could be you next time, driving home, obeying all traffic rules, only to see something in the road and it is too late because there are no street lights, safety lights, or anything to help you avoid an accident that could paralyze you or kill you. Please help our families and town make this area safer for all the travelers that are on highway! 

Thank you for your help to make MS HWY 45 safe!

Please sign and share. Help us change the laws and get the money allocated to save others. This is not a win for us. The only gain we will get from this is making sure no one else is hurt or die.  if we can make this happen, is a win for every precious soul that travels that road. We aren't asking for bridges to be built. We are asking for street lights and caution lights! 

Sincerely,
The Dabbs & Phillips Families