9-Year-Old Driver Crashes Car: Kills Passengers, Ages 3 And 13

A 9-year-old driver crashed a car in Scott County, Mississippi, Friday night that killed two passengers inside the vehicle. The victims were 3-years-old and 13-years-old.

According to the Mississippi Highway Patrol, the driver tried avoiding a police roadblock, sped through a store parking lot, lost control, and overturned before hitting a utility pole in Forest, WAPT News 16 reports. It all happened about 11:15 p.m. Forest is 45 miles east of Jackson.

The impact from striking the pole caused it to snap down the middle.

In all, those inside the car were the 9-year-old driver, 13-year-old twins, and a 3-year-old. One of the twins and the 3-year-old boy died after being ejected from the car. The 9-year-old is in critical condition, say police. The condition of the 13-year-old girl is said to involve minor injuries from the accident.

Scott County Sheriff Mike Lee says it’s rough because it’s a very close-knit community and many knew the children. The twins’ mother isn’t blaming anyone for the fatal crash. She sees it as a “freak” accident.

The 9-year-old driver was trying to evade police. As WDAY 6 News reports, when a patrolman noticed the 2003 Mercury Sable run through a checkpoint, he chased after the car.

All four of the children were from the same house, but their relationship to one another isn’t yet clear.

MHP spokesman Sergeant Andy West says none of the passengers were wearing their seatbelts. WBTW 13 News identifies the 9-year-old driver as Ty-Jun Thigpen, 13-year-old twins, Justin Harrell and Breckon Harrell, and 3-year-old, Brayden Traxler.

West describes the events leading up to the tragic car accident.

“One of the officers from Mississippi Highway Patrol attempted to make contact with the vehicle, catch up to the vehicle and stop the vehicle to see what the reason was alluding the check point. In the course of him catching up to the vehicle the vehicle ran off the road and overturned. Unfortunately two children lost their lives as a result of the accident.”

It’s a mystery how the young driver got a hold of the keys to the car, but the Mercury belongs to his mother. Why he went on a “joyride” with three other kids in the car isn’t known, either.

“Any accident that someone loses their life is tragic, but when you’re dealing with children it just makes it that much more tragic,” West says.

The crash is currently under investigation.

[Photo Credit: WBTW 13 News]