Vonnie Ogburn,

Wiggins, Mississippi
March 24, 2000

Agencies: Wiggins Police Department Mississippi

Cause of death: Vehicular

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Last updated: almost 4 years ago

Overview

. On the night of March 24, 2000, Officer Jamie Smith was on patrol in Wiggins. At approximately 9:09 p.m., John Wortham approached Officer Smith's vehicle traveling on the frontage road. Officer Smith observed Wortham driving in the wrong lane of traffic at a rate of speed of approximately 50 to 55 miles per hour in a 30 mile per hour speed zone.

3. Officer Smith's vehicle left the road to avoid colliding with Wortham. Officer Smith immediately turned his vehicle around and activated his emergency blue lights and siren. Wortham continued driving recklessly on the frontage road, and Smith initiated a pursuit. Wortham ran a stop sign and turned onto Project Road.

 4. Officer Smith continued his pursuit of Wortham. Officer Smith reached the top of the first hill on Project Road and saw Wortham's vehicle at the top of the next hill. However, when Smith reached the next hill, he could not see Wortham's vehicle. Officer Smith slowed his vehicle and then saw dust around an intersection *88 with Buck Marshall Road. Smith did not see Wortham's vehicle again until he reached the site of the accident. Smith approached the accident scene where Wortham had lost control of his vehicle, crossed over the center line, and collided with another vehicle driven by Vonnie Ogburn, the deceased. Wortham and Vonnie Ogburn were killed in the collision, and Lomax Ogburn was seriously injured.

5. The entire pursuit lasted between one and two minutes and spanned approximately 1.7 miles. Subsequent blood tests revealed that Wortham's blood alcohol content at the time of the accident was .241, three times the legal limit.

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