1 dead, 1 injured in Saturday night hit-and-run
A woman is dead and a man is injured after a Saturday night fight led to an apparent hit and run.
Deputies responded to Hillcrest Drive in Lamar County just after 11:30 p.m. Saturday on a report of someone hit by a car. When they arrived, they found two victims that had been struck. They were transported to Forrest General Hospital.
Lamar County Deputy Coroner Lisa Klem told WDAM's Ryan Moore that Patricia Heckathorn, 50, was pronounced dead at Forrest General Hospital. Klem said the body will be sent to the state crime lab for autopsy.
The male victim was estimated to be in his 20s or 30s. He is in the ICU, according to Lamar County Sheriff Danny Rigel.
SEE ALSO: Man charged in Jackson County homicide
The scene was chaotic, Rigel said, after a fight began in Hattiesburg and then spilled into Lamar County.
Witnesses told authorities that there were multiple vehicles at the scene, each with multiple occupants. The one believed to have hit Heckathorn was a gray four-door sedan carrying four men. Another vehicle is believed to have had at least two occupants.
Rigel said the vehicle that struck the victims will have damage to the front and the driver's side.
Investigators believe they may have identified a person of interest but are still gathering evidence before releasing a name.
The incident is being identified as a felony hit and run, Rigel said, even though there was a fatality. He said authorities are working to determine the driver's level of intent to cause bodily harm to the victims as the car fled the scene.
It's possible that some of the people involved in the melee may have fled to Jackson, Rigel said, and Lamar officials are checking with police in the capital city as the case unfolds.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Metro Crime Stoppers at 601-582-7867 or the Lamar County Sheriff's Department at 601-794-1005.
Contact Therese Apel at tapel@gannett.com . Follow her on Facebook and Twitter .