Fatal wreck on Highway 96 north late Friday evening

One person was killed and another was injured on Friday evening in a three vehicle pile up about 5 miles north of Jasper.

State Trooper Rick Reynolds said the crash occurred shortly before 8:00 when the driver of a 1988 Toyota sport utility vehicle failed to yield the right of way and pulled off a county road onto Highway 96 in front of a southbound 2001 Dodge pick up truck. According to Reynolds, the driver of the Dodge tried to avoid the crash and swerved to the left but hit the Toyota. Reynolds said the Dodge then bounced off the Toyota and broadsided a northbound 2002 Land Rover.

The Land Rover immediately burst into flames and its driver, 48 year old Anita Thomas Hinds of Orange, was pronounced dead at the scene. Officers believe that a gasoline can being carried on the pick up truck flew into the Land Rover and burst into flames.

The driver of the Dodge pick up truck, Phillip Alexander Edgerton, 20, of Newton, was taken to Jasper County Airport and flown by medical helicopter to Christus Hospital St. Elizabeth.

The roadway was blocked for more than an hour to all traffic.

The driver of the Toyota, Jessica Elena Perky of Brookeland, was not injured in the crash, which scattered metal debris and wreckage over a large area.

The volunteers of the Jasper Fire Department were dispatched to the scene to extinguish the fire and help with removing the victims from the vehicles.

State Trooper Lester McCray is heading up the investigation into the incident.

The accident occured just after 8:00 pm on Friday night.