DADADEL
NOTE: This story, originally covered in September 2018, is being republished.
In a tragic turn of events that has deeply affected the Panola County community, a young life was lost in a school bus crash. The Mississippi Highway Patrol confirmed that the collision occurred at approximately 7:15 a.m. on Wednesday when a driver collided with a South Panola School bus. The victim has been identified by family members as Katelyn Ray.
The incident unfolded as Ray’s car rear-ended a South Panola School bus on Highway 15 near Highway 6. This heartbreaking event occurred while Ray was on her way to pick up her older sister from work. The last conversation between Katelyn and her mother, Shelia Ray, was a simple exchange of love and affection, a moment that tragically became their final farewell.
Shelia Ray, recounting the sequence of events, expressed her disbelief. The family’s attempts to reach Katelyn were met with silence, prompting growing concern. The agonizing wait ended with a phone call from the highway patrol, delivering the devastating news of a severe car accident involving Katelyn.
According to the Mississippi Highway Patrol, the impact resulted in Katelyn Ray’s car forcefully colliding with the rear of the school bus. The timeline of events intensified the family’s worry, particularly when Katelyn failed to arrive at her sister’s workplace by 7:30 a.m. Courtney Pettit, the victim’s sister, shared the mounting anxiety about Katelyn’s whereabouts during those crucial moments.
Faced with uncertainty, Courtney Pettit turned to social media, posting on Facebook to seek any information about her missing sister. It was during this desperate search that the family received the heart-wrenching news of the tragedy that had unfolded on the highways of Panola County.
Stephanie Pettit, Katelyn’s aunt, expressed the family’s anguish and the difficulty of imagining the circumstances leading to the crash. Katelyn, a proud aunt herself, was actively pursuing GED classes at the WIN Job Center, showcasing her vibrant and outgoing personality.
As the Panola County community grapples with the loss of a young life, the investigation into the crash is ongoing, led by the Mississippi Highway Patrol. The tight-knit community now mourns the passing of Katelyn Ray, who had obtained her driver’s license just two months before the tragic accident.
The void left by this unfortunate incident serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of life on the roads.
