3 Tribal members die in crash with alleged drunk driver

A woman and two children who were Tribal members from Leake County died Wednesday night when a man suspected of being drunk was going the wrong way on Mississippi 25 near Flowood.

Tamaria Shumake, 32, Ambrosia Isaac, 8, and Zylan Shumake, 5, all of Carthage were fatally injured, the Mississippi Highway Patrol said. They were all members of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, MHP confirmed..

A Jackson man has been charged with three counts of DUI manslaughter in connection with the fatal wreck that sent two others to the hospital.

Kyle T. Dixon, 54, of Jackson, was arrested and charged with three counts of DUI manslaughter. Dixon remains in the Rankin County Detention Center awaiting a Tuesday bond hearing.

At approximately 11:38 p.m., on Feb. 24, MHP troopers were advised of a two-vehicle head-on collision north of Holly Bush Road just north of Flowood. Holly Bush is the first traffic light approaching the metropolitan area.

“This crash is currently under investigation and more information will be released pending the outcome,” Mississippi Highway Patrol spokesman Kervin K. Stewart said.

Preliminary reports indicate that a 2004 Toyota Sequoia, driven by Dixon, was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes when he collided with the northbound 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser, driven by Tamaria Shumake and carrying five passengers.

Two other occupants in the PT Cruiser were transported to UMMC with serious injuries. They were all wearing their seatbelts at the time of the crash.

Dixon was transported to River Oaks Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. He was not wearing his seatbelt at the time of the crash.