The Mississippi Highway Patrol responded to one fatal crash, investigated 190 accidents that yielded 39 injuries, issued 4,908 citations, and made 74 drunk driving arrests over Memorial Day weekend.
Over the heightened enforcement period, state troopers were posted up in droves on highways and interstates statewide, especially in areas where beach travelers were heading to and from vacation. The Memorial Day Holiday Travel Period began Friday at 6 p.m. and concluded Monday at midnight.
Of the tickets handed out, MHP officials said 551 were for seatbelt violations. The enforcement period was in conjunction with the national “Click It or Ticket” campaign.
The lone fatal crash occurred in Monroe County on Sunday with troopers responding to the scene along Highway 6. MHP reported that a 1997 Ford truck driven by Andrew Pettigo, 25, left the roadway and crashed into a tree. Pettigo died as a result of his injuries. Nobody else was reported to have been harmed by the accident.
This year’s numbers fared better than those last year. During the 2025 Memorial Day Weekend, the MHP responded to five fatal crashes that left six people dead and issued nearly 6,000 citations.