5 dead in Mississippi train-van crash, including mom and 2 daughters

Mike Snider, USA TODAYSat, March 28, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC

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Five people were killed when the van they were riding in was struck by a railroad train in southern Mississippi on March 27.

The driver and four others in the van were killed and a sixth passenger was taken to the hospital, Stone County Coroner Wayne Flurry told USA TODAY. All of the persons involved were from the south Mississippi coastal region, he said.

The Chrysler Town & Country van was headed west on Pump Branch Road and was struck by a Canadian Pacific Kansas City freight train in a railroad crossing just east of U.S. 49 about 12:30 p.m. The accident occurred just north of the town of Wiggins, Mississippi, which is located about 40 miles northwest of Biloxi, Mississippi.

The crossing has been the site of at least three train-vehicle accidents in the last three years including a fatality in February, Flurry said.

The crossing doesn't have any lights or a crossing gate, but there is a posted stop sign, he said. "That crossing has proven to be rather dangerous for some reason," Flurry said.

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Deceased are the van's driver, Ryan C. Peterson, 26, and front seat passenger, Kristina Carver, 45, and two of her daughters, Emley Chamblee, 22, and Sarabeth Chamblee, 20, and another passenger, Demarcus Perkins, 23. A third daughter of Carver, Ariel Chamblee, 23, remains in the hospital, Flurry said.

Canadian Pacific Kansas City said it is "working with local officials as they investigate yesterday’s tragic incident," in a statement to USA TODAY.

"A freight train made contact with the vehicle at the Pump Branch Road grade crossing early Friday afternoon. There were no injuries reported to the crew on board the train," the company said. "The incident remains under investigation by the Stone County Sheriff’s Office. Our most sincere condolences go out to the families of the victims of this tragedy."

The Stone County Sheriff's Office did not immediately return a request for comment from USA TODAY.

Mike Snider is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at mikegsnider & @mikegsnider.bsky.social & @mikesnider & msnider@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mississippi train-van collision leaves five dead

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