Despite not having any prior disciplinary actions on their service records, two Forrest County Sheriff’s Office deputies who were placed on administrative leave following a Saturday evening automobile wreck that left two people dead, have resigned from their positions.
Forrest County Sheriff Billy McGee said Wednesday morning that deputies Chey Sumrall and Josh Strickland turned in their resignations earlier this week. The sheriff confirmed the lack of disciplinary actions on the two deputies’ service records.
David Miller, attorney for the Forrest County Board of Supervisors, confirmed on Tuesday that the two officers were placed on leave after one of the deputies’ patrol cars struck a civilian vehicle at approximately 6 p.m. Saturday near the intersection of U.S. 49 and Edwards Street.
Miller said he was not authorized to say which deputy’s car struck the civilian vehicle.
“The only thing I’m authorized to say is that the two deputies that were involved were put on administrative leave,” he said. “Beyond that, I’m afraid any details about the accident are related to the investigation, and I’m not in a position to disclose those.”
Forrest County Coroner Butch Benedict identified the deceased as Charlie Epting, 66, and Annie Everette, 80. They were pronounced dead at the scene.
Ryan Moore, public information officer with Hattiesburg Police Department, said HPD officers and investigators with the Mississippi Highway Patrol were still on the scene Tuesday working to reconstruct the accident.
“The Hattiesburg Police Department does have the resources to reconstruct an accident of this magnitude,” said Moore. “We rely on an outside contractor.”
Moore could not divulge any more details, other than the investigation is ongoing.
McGee said he has received the initial wreck report, but it has very limited information.
“It just shows that they were both traveling down the road – it doesn’t really tell you anything,” he said. “But the reconstruction has not come back. They said it could be as long as a month before they got it prepared.”
Twelfth Circuit Court District Attorney Patricia Burchell did not respond to an email regarding whether her office could handle the case if criminal charges were filed against the deputies.
