Woman remains in serious
condition after fatal crash
Published Tuesday, April 15
Submitted photo.
Story by Jebb Johnston, Staff Writer

An Alcorn County woman remains hospitalized in serious condition after a fatal crash involving a police pursuit Friday night.

Amanda Hicks, 30, of 69 CR 326, was in serious condition at the Regional Medical Center in Memphis, Tenn., as of 11 a.m. Monday, according to a hospital spokeswoman. Hicks was taken by air ambulance to the hospital after the crash that occurred on Shiloh Road at 9:41 p.m. Friday.

Tony Wesley Bowden, 27, of 136 CR 430, Rienzi, was the driver of the vehicle and died in the crash. Officials say he fled a police checkpoint in the town of Farmington at county roads 106 and 114 and was pursued into the city of Corinth by a Farmington officer.

Farmington Police Chief Tony Holmes said on Monday that he is reviewing the facts of the case as they become available. The Corinth Police Department's investigation remained open.

Holmes said Bowden was possibly intoxicated when he stopped at the checkpoint, and he had outstanding warrants with the county. Bowden put his vehicle in reverse and fled the scene, and a Farmington police unit followed.

Holmes said that location was targeted with a checkpoint for two reasons -- complaints from neighbors about excessive speeding and beer bottles thrown out in the area and a problem with auto burglaries at a nearby business.

The Farmington Police Department has a pursuit policy that is based on the nature of the offense. Officers would not pursue for a minor traffic offense such as running a stop sign, said Holmes.

According to the Corinth Police Department report, Bowden, driving a 1998 Hyundai, entered the city on Kendrick Road as he traveled west. He continued west on Shiloh Road and began to lose control of the vehicle at the railroad underpass at Shiloh and Taylor Street, where he failed to negotiate the curve. The car went off the street on the left side.

The vehicle went back onto the street and started into a skid, striking a utility pole at Shiloh and Fillmore. The car suffered heavy damage to the driver's side as it snapped the pole and also hit a tree directly behind it. The force of the collision caused the engine to separate from the vehicle, and the top of the vehicle had to be cut away to remove the occupants.

Corinth police were not involved in the pursuit.

Holmes expressed sympathy to the families of both individuals involved in the crash.

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